Are You Scared Yet, Human? (1 Viewer)

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Toller

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There was an interesting program on BBC tv last night, a program from the Panorama stable called 'Are You Scared Yet, Human? It was about advances in AI around the world, especially in China, where they appear to have their whole citizenship already under total 1984 control.


From Amazon’s Alexa to improvements in cancer care, artificial intelligence is changing our world. But today leading tech figures from Silicon Valley worry about the future that’s being created. Brad Smith, president of Microsoft, believes George Orwell's 1984 could become reality by 2024. Panorama has uncovered new evidence of AI being used by police in China to recognise the emotions of detainees in order to help determine guilt or innocence. China has vowed to become the world's AI superpower by 2030, sparking a new arms race with America. Both countries are pouring billions into cutting-edge military tech, including autonomous weapons. AI could usher in a golden age, but without urgent regulation, experts warn we could lose control of artificial intelligence, a prospect, they say, that should scare us all.
Here's a follow up article from our favourite, the Daily Mail :-

Microsoft president Brad Smith warns 'life will become like George Orwell's 1984' by 2024 if lawmakers don't protect the public against AI
  • Speaking to BBC Panorama Brad Smith said laws are needed to control AI
  • Artificial Intelligence can take vast datasets and make predictions and calls
  • An example given in the show was China using it for surveillance on citizens
  • Smith says the world is catching up with science fiction and we must act now
Life could become like George Orwell's 1984 within three years if laws aren't introduced to protect the public from artificial intelligence, Microsoft president Brad Smith has warned.

Smith predicts that the kind of controlled, mass surveillance society portrayed by Orwell in his 1949 dystopian novel 'could come to pass in 2024' if more isn't done to curb the spread of AI.

It is going to be difficult for lawmakers to catch up with rapidly advancing artificial intelligence and surveillance technology, he told BBC Panorama during a special exploring China's increasing use of AI to monitor its citizens.

The Microsoft president said: 'If we don't enact the laws that will protect the public in the future, we are going to find the technology racing ahead.'
 

Lila

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For my answer, since I find myself feeling exactly the same way as I did when I read a particular meme which was so concise... so I spent some time (unsuccesfully) searching for this meme someone had put out there sometime a long, long ago (precovid). It had a picture of alexa, a few pointers about what it was capable of (accessing your personal information, $, passwords, security systems, etc) and the byline "What could go wrong".

So now you have a far less concise answer with the same sentiment.

As I was searching I found a few old gems on the topic, like this one: https://www.transients.info/roundtable/threads/siri-and-alexa-are-back-in-the-news.5120/



Over the last two years, academic researchers have identified various methods that they can transmit hidden commands that are undetectable by the human ear to Apple’s Siri, Amazon’s Alexa, and Google’s Assistant.

According to a new report from The New York Times, scientific researchers have been able “to secretly activate the artificial intelligence systems on smartphones and smart speakers, making them dial phone numbers or open websites.” This could, perhaps, allow cybercriminals to unlock smart-home doors, control a Tesla car via the App, access users’ online bank accounts, load malicious browser-based cryptocurrency mining websites, and or access all sort of personal information.


So, it is looking like all the stuff in the sci-fi movies is coming to pass. X-files had a sort of funny, sort of scary episode about all these things running amuck. One projected use is that your little friend will hear you listening to music and proceed to order and download more tracks for you. I don't want to be the old lady naysayer, but until we are done with nefarious types, caution might be prudent.


Recently, the ultrasonic attack technology showed up in the hands of the Chinese. Researchers at Princeton University and China’s Zhejiang University conducted several experiments showing that inaudible commands can, in fact, trigger voice-recognition systems in an iPhone.

https://www.zerohedge.com/news/2018-05-14/ultrasonic-attacks-can-trigger-alexa-siri-hidden-commands-raise-serious-security
 
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Linda

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Yes, I am concerned. If I were out and about in public often, I would consider subtle ways to alter my appearance - and using a go-dark bag for my phone.
 
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Linda

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Here is another way in, and one that I imagine will appeal to many. Oh, and the headset is being designed as open source, so everyone can have one.

The head of Valve, Gabe Newell, has stated that the future of video games will involve “Brain-computer interfaces.” Newell added that BCIs would soon create superior experiences to those we currently perceive through our eyes and ears.
Newell said he envisions the gaming devices detecting a gamer’s emotions and then adjusting the settings to modify the player’s mood. For example, increasing the difficulty level when the player is getting bored.
Valve is currently developing its own BCIs and working on “modified VR head straps” that developers can use to experiment with signals coming from the brain. “If you’re a software developer in 2022 who doesn’t have one of these in your test lab, you’re making a silly mistake,” Newell said.
VR headsets will collect data by reading our brain signals
Valve is working with OpenBCI headsets. OpenBCI unveiled a headset design back in November that it calls Galea. It is designed to work alongside VR headsets like Valve’s Index.



“We’re working on an open-source project so that everybody can have high-resolution [brain signal] read technologies built into headsets, in a bunch of different modalities,” Newell added.

 
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Lila

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Here is another way in, and one that I imagine will appeal to many. Oh, and the headset is being designed as open source, so everyone can have one.

The head of Valve, Gabe Newell, has stated that the future of video games will involve “Brain-computer interfaces.” Newell added that BCIs would soon create superior experiences to those we currently perceive through our eyes and ears.
Newell said he envisions the gaming devices detecting a gamer’s emotions and then adjusting the settings to modify the player’s mood. For example, increasing the difficulty level when the player is getting bored.
Valve is currently developing its own BCIs and working on “modified VR head straps” that developers can use to experiment with signals coming from the brain. “If you’re a software developer in 2022 who doesn’t have one of these in your test lab, you’re making a silly mistake,” Newell said.
VR headsets will collect data by reading our brain signals
Valve is working with OpenBCI headsets. OpenBCI unveiled a headset design back in November that it calls Galea. It is designed to work alongside VR headsets like Valve’s Index.



“We’re working on an open-source project so that everybody can have high-resolution [brain signal] read technologies built into headsets, in a bunch of different modalities,” Newell added.

Nope, not scary at all...
... says the ostrich whose head is well buried...

This seems like another case of 'what could possibly go wrong?'
 

Snowmelt

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It's the Cloud, people. Who uses the Cloud? It's getting harder to avoid doing so, but one way I do it is to avoid having apps added to my phone. Keep the phone a phone. I know it still surveils me, but it has a lot less data to go on with.
 
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Alain

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Here is another way in, and one that I imagine will appeal to many. Oh, and the headset is being designed as open source, so everyone can have one.

The head of Valve, Gabe Newell, has stated that the future of video games will involve “Brain-computer interfaces.” Newell added that BCIs would soon create superior experiences to those we currently perceive through our eyes and ears.
Newell said he envisions the gaming devices detecting a gamer’s emotions and then adjusting the settings to modify the player’s mood. For example, increasing the difficulty level when the player is getting bored.
Valve is currently developing its own BCIs and working on “modified VR head straps” that developers can use to experiment with signals coming from the brain. “If you’re a software developer in 2022 who doesn’t have one of these in your test lab, you’re making a silly mistake,” Newell said.
VR headsets will collect data by reading our brain signals
Valve is working with OpenBCI headsets. OpenBCI unveiled a headset design back in November that it calls Galea. It is designed to work alongside VR headsets like Valve’s Index.



“We’re working on an open-source project so that everybody can have high-resolution [brain signal] read technologies built into headsets, in a bunch of different modalities,” Newell added.

True the gaming world goes out to a new level, not my level, i don t trust those things enough
 
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Linda

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I recall a Star Trek episode where someone acted out a role in a novel on the holodeck. That idea appeals to me because there are some stories into which I can just sink - be there. How fun it would be to live in another time and place and get to really know the characters. Not now though....
 
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