Automated governance ?

AUTOMATED GOVERNANCE: Computer-controlled city centers

IT was predicted that in the year 2010 planes would consist of a single pilot and a dog. The job of the pilot would be to feed the dog; the reason for the dog is to bite the pilot if he or she touches anything.

Many people have developed a genuine fear that artificial intelligence could one day take over the world if it got too advanced and somehow became self-aware. Hollywood is largely to blame for this unnecessary fear. The Matrix trilogy is a prime culprit.

In truth, certain sections of society have become more automated or controlled by AI without many of us even being aware of it. Before, pilots used to quite literally guess what altitudes they were flying at, what the weather may be like higher up and use all their skills and praying power to land a plan safely. Today, we use machines to ascertain such information. No questions asked.

One could cite several examples of how our society is gradually moving closer to automated governance — where room for human error is becoming less of a worry. But why are we not making more use of AI forms of governance? We all know that power breeds corruption in governance. History has tried to teach us this for centuries. There is no need to point any fingers.

Automated governance: An artificially intelligent city

Computer-controlled city centres are the beginnings of an automated governance system

Image: CG4TV.com

Imagine, if you will, a round city that is built around a central computerized hub. In this hub would exist all forms of governance that keep the city running safely and smoothly. Citizens would be able to approach this AI hub and input questions to receive information, such as “how abundant is the city’s water supply”? If there is a water shortage the automated city-brain could offer calculated suggestions on how best to distribute what’s left.

A centralized, automated hub could constantly monitor the air, the earth and the water supply and gather all demographic information relating to a city, which could then be called up on request. Having a machine monitor the air and automatically eliminate contaminants is not new technology. We don’t all have to live in domes to experience the benefits of such. So why aren’t we making use of it?

The illusion is that AI could get dangerously out of control and start using our air and water for its own evil purposes (that is, of course, once a machine­ learns morality and the difference between good and evil).

A different argument is that a computer of that size and capacity would be very expensive to build. This is also not true. A lot of money is spent every year on sociological research — most of which could be saved by having a computer do the work for us. Quantitative research especially would also be far more accurate in an automated governance system.

Automated governance: AI for mayor?

This proposed form of automated governance is not as radical as you may think. It does not supersede all forms of human decision making. Rather, it suggests that we should no longer fear machines, but instead apply them intelligently enough to improve the standard of human living and create sustainable city life.

Sustainable round city

In such a city there would still be a need for a mayoral figure of some kind — a democratically elected person to take every citizen’s inputs into account and make the final digital commands. The rest is just paperwork really.

Of course, it would also be wise to start small when it comes to societal reconstruction. As creatures of habit, we are all set in our ways and many people fear change.

However­, I don’t see what’s stopping the powers that be from at least experimenting with such an idea. Perhaps their job security is at stake.

So if any of you are planning on building a city any time soon, please consider automated governance and understand how much better our cities of the future could be. And if that isn’t enough to make the public feel safe and secure, we could always have two guard dogs instead of one.

• If you were intrigued by this article on automated governance, I would highly recommend giving the documentary film Future by Design a discerning watch. Alternatively, I have written five related articles based on the film, which you can find under A Resource Based Economy.

1. Part 1: The power of the planet
2. Part 2: A world without money
3. Part 3: Incentive to work in a moneyless society
4. Part 4: Future by Design
5. Part 5: Smart Homes

Robo pets

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ROBOT PETS: Meet Aibo the robot dog, Nabaztag the robot bunny, Paro the fluffy robot seal, and Pleo the robot dinosaur

I’VE been thinking of getting a puppy; one that’s potty-trained. Or perhaps a streetwise cat that can take care of itself. The thought that I could never find the time to raise a pup made me consider robot pets. Several of these can learn skills and tricks, recognise faces, voices, and colour; but they won’t pee on your carpet. These are my top four:

AIBO
When electronic communication giant, Sony launched the Artificial Intelligence roBOt dog (AIBO) in 1999, the pooch was regarded as a breakthrough in the robot entertainment market. Since then, AIBO (meaning “love” or “attachment” in Japanese) has sold over 130 000 units worldwide. AIBO is the first generation of artificial intelligence pets designed to learn and adapt to its environment.

These automatons can communicate over wireless networks and even photograph things they ‘see’ and post these to their personal (owner’s) websites. He will wag his tail when patted on the head, and, if you’re lucky, he’ll produce an affectionate high-pitched squeal. The robo-pup can respond to voice commands, pick up his AIBOne, and play with his balls just like a real dog.

However, Sony has discontinued production of AIBO since 2006 following profit erosion from Apple iPods, and technical support for existing AIBO’s ends in 2013. They were pricey anyway – at a local retail price of about R15 000.

NABAZTAG
Meet Nabaztag – a 23 cm tall WiFi-enabled electronic bunny. Nabaztag (meaning “rabbit” in Armenian) is considered as a ‘smart object’ and can connect to the Internet (to download weather forecasts, report traffic jams, read its owner’s email etc) and is also fully customizable and programmable.

Nabaztag can also send and receive MP3s and messages and read the latter out loud in up to 16 different languages. He can also use his digital voice box (or indicative lights) to deliver weather forecasts, stock market reports, news headlines, e-mail alerts, RSS-Feeds, MP3-Streams, and he can be your alarm clock.

Some Nabaztag owners have joined social networks to share photos and videos on websites like Flickr and YouTube. Users can also create and share podcasts (or rather ‘Nabcasts’) and add to the growing collection online.

The latest version Nabaztag has a microphone that allows for voice activation of some of its services. A final added feature is a built-in RFID reader to detect special-purpose RFID tags and the ability to identify objects. Nabaztag can even use these RFID tags to read special edition versions of French children’s books.

PARO
Paro has got to be the cutest and most lifelike of all the artificial pets. While the others resemble animals in suits of armor, Paro the baby harp seal is specifically designed to be cute and cuddly, and make people feel comforted.

He is what is known as a Mental Commitment Robot – developed to interact with human beings and make them feel emotional attachment. These robots are specifically aimed to trigger subjective evaluations and have shown to have positive psychological, physiological (such as improvement in vital signs), and social effects among inpatients and caregivers young and old.

Paro has five kinds of sensors, which are a little different from the familiar five senses belonging to the living. He uses tactile, light, audition, temperature, and posture sensors, with which it can perceive people and its environment.

The light sensor allows Paro to recognize light and dark. He feels being stroked and beaten by tactile sensor, or being held by the posture sensor. Paro can also recognize the direction of voice and words such as its name, greetings, and praise with its audio sensor.

Like AIBO the wonder-dog, Paro can learn to behave in a way that the user prefers, and to respond to its new name. If he is beaten for bad behaviour for example, the action is recorded to memory and the robot seal will perform less of the deviant behaviour in the future.

PLEO
Pleo is a ‘designer species’ type of pet robot that begins life as a newly-hatched baby Camarasaurus. Like the others robo-pets, he is said to incorporate all the basic traits of autonomous life and is specifically engineered and enhanced to mimic life and relate to his owner on a personal level.

Pleo was engineered by a group of robotics specialists, animators, technologists, scientists, biologists, and programmers who noted the biological and neurological systems of the Camarasaurus, and “re-interpreted” those elements through hardware and software. The design combines sensory, articulation, and neuronetics to create a lifelike appearance with organic movement and adaptable behaviors.

The dinosaur is equipped with senses for sight, sound, and touch, and learns and reacts to sensory stimuli as it explores its environment. Interaction with the environment has subtle effects on its behavior, and every Pleo eventually exhibits a unique personality.

Two or more Pleos can recognise one another, and marketers claim that they can even transmit colds to each other. However, unlike real organic pets, Pleo wont ever die on you or run away. So long as technical support is available, he and his different species of robot friends – AIBO, Nabaztag and Paro, will live forever.

SOME PHILOSOPHICAL THOUGHT
It is difficult to say how the general public will respond to the rising popularity of artificial pets such as these. A few years ago, Tamagotchi had children and adults obsessed with caring for pixelated, black and white digital dogs or dinosaurs. Some owners really believed that these had real, humanlike personalities and were inconsolable when their virtual pets’ lives ended tragically.

Dr Hannah Slay, owner of a pet AIBO, doesn’t see anything particularly wrong with owners becoming emotionally attached to robotic pets. She feels that they could have real benefits for the sick and the lonely. A study by Cambridge University suggests that real pets can reduce stress, encourage exercise, reduce blood pressure and cholesterol, and stave off loneliness.

“If AIBO can do that then I don’t see anything unethical about it”
 – Dr Hannah Slay

Rhodes University philosophy lecturer, Francis Williamson remains skeptical about humans building relationships with artificially intelligent pets. He suggests that products like AIBO merely provide the appearance of a relationship rather than an actual one.

“Any good consequences of such an invention are based on an illusion” – philosopher Francis Williamson

In other words, people are being duped.

I personally don’t see anything wrong with people becoming emotionally attached to robot pets, although I would never want to own one. Even if a cuddly Paro looked happy to see me, the fact that it wouldn’t be sincere about it would put me off. But if they can dupe others and make them happy as a result then that’s dandy.

Human beings have been conditioned by the media to perceive personality and consciousness in things that don’t actually have them. Think about all the people that believe their teddy bears, cars and household plants have personalities. Although robot pets are very far from being self-aware and conscious, at least they are more fun and lively than a mute, plastic pooch.

I leave you with one of my favourite quotes by sir Stephen Fry:

“If ignorance is bliss, why aren’t there
more happy people in the world?”

Interesting Links:
Top-selling robot pets
What’s the point of robot pets?
Bye Bye Rover – AIBO article and video