Artificial Intelligence

With all the advances in technology today, technology singularity and artificial intelligence are very interesting topics. I have always wondered how far technology will advance in my lifetime. One of the group members asked us if there were a chip to but in our brains to allow us to think twice as fast, would we do it? I honestly don’t know how I would feel about that. On the one hand, it would be nice to think twice as fast, however, would that really be fair? They also mentioned that it wouldn’t be fair if some people could afford these chips and others couldn’t. Is it ethical to allow some people to increase their mental capabilities because they can afford it, and hold others back just because they cannot afford it. It also raises the question of what happens if these systems begin to fail. Suppose all the sudden they do not work and you have spent time and money getting them put in. What if they begin to cause harm to our bodies. While it would be very nice to have a chip put in our brains to allow us to think twice as fast, it is interesting to think about the possible consequences. What do you think? Would you do this if you could?

AI and moral/ethical codes

A lot of our presentations have brought up ethical or moral issues, but I think the technological singularity presentation raised a really interesting point: how could we program artificially intelligent systems to behave morally or ethically?
Of course there are a lot of technical things at work behind the scences, but I think the most important question here is: who decides how to program the systems? Would there be an organization founded to develop these codes? Who decides those are the most qualified people?
One issue that comes to mind is culture - how would cultural norms be incorporated into these moral and ethical codes? There are obviously huge differences between some societies and cultures, so this would be as essential to the program as what language (spoken, not programming) the system used. And this isn’t even an international thing, necessarily – think of the differences between the southeast and the northern east coast in our country.
Since we talked about outsourcing recently, consider this: what if the company was founded in America, the actual program was written by people in India, production was outsourced to China, and the robots/machines/whatever were shipped out to 10 different countries?
What other problems you can see with programming moral codes?

Technological singularity

This week we learned about AI and technological singularity. I think it's an interesting topic, in that our technological advances are exponential, and that perhaps the creation of superhuman intelligence is right around the corner. And even with AI, will we ever truly achieve technological singularity? Looking at the technology advances that we have achieved now, while the older generations are having a more difficult time understanding and using them, it is almost second nature to the younger generations (us), who use them on an everyday basis. So in the future, isn't it possible that our intelligence will not be surpassed because those younger generations will be experts in that technology?

Do people really believe that something greater than human intelligence can be created? And if it is created, what do you think will be the consequences for the human species? With more advances, people become more lazy. Think of the website that allows people to hunt in Africa from the very comforts of their couch. If true singularity is accomplished, then where will the human race fit on this planet?

Artificial Intelligence

As we saw in Dr. Nicholas' lecture and the presentation on Monday, artificial intelligence is a real issue that we may have to deal with in the near future. As we develop the rudimentary systems which display an ability to learn and develop on their own, what risks do we incur?

I for one am both excited and fearful of the possibilities of using AI technologies. So many advancements could be made in medicine, business, education etc. But there is always the looming fear of complacency and apathy developing in humanity, and of course the eventual dooms-day scenario played out in countless movies.

To make it more real, Marvin Misky of MIT said "People have silly reasons why computers don't really think. The answer is we haven't programmed them right; they just don't have much common sense." Since we are on the cusp of developing this powerful technology, what kind of regulations do you think our government should put in place to protect us from all of the potential risks and ensure that the technology improves society?

E-Consumerism: similarities to history

During our discussion of E-consumerism I noticed one thing in particular -- we began the discussion with the history of shopping in general, with the Agora (a marketplace for people to meet, discuss, and purchase), the general store (interaction with the store clerk), and the department store (a browsing experience where everyone can partake even if they do not have the financial means to actually purchase). Though it seems like e-consumerism is an entirely new concept, I tend to think that it is a new embodiment of all of the former means of shopping and consuming. The Internet now seems to match literally the exact definition that we provided for Agora: "the social and economic hub of the society." Communication and economic activity are available and practiced just as much on the Internet (via social networking, instant messaging, email, blogs; and online retailers, banking, etc) as they are in any real life setting, thus it seems like just as the Greeks used their 'agoras' for basically any sort of interaction they required, so do we use the Internet for all of those things. The department store also has its parallel in the online realm--on Internet shopping sites, people can navigate their way through thousands of products per day, browse different details/reviews/pricing/options for as many hours as are in the day, without ever having the obligation to purchase or even to INTEND to purchase. The browsing experience is taken to an entirely new level here though, because now not only do we have access to local department stores, but I can even browse the stock of small boutiques across the country that normally would rely only on local customers.

These similarities obviously do not suggest that E-consumerism is the SAME as in-person activities like those that occurred in the shopping experiences of centuries past, but there are definitely some parallels now that the Internet offers such a vast array of options to its users. Do you think that the transition of these activities from real-life to online action is better or worse for society's development? Is the efficiency of the Internet valuable enough that it outweighs the importance of face-to-face social interaction? Because this is essentially the reason we use the Internet for communication and shopping...it takes less effort to email than to have dinner with an old friend, and less effort to buy a shirt online that will be delivered to your door than to drive to the store. Is it worth it?

The Benefits of E-Commerce

I found this weeks’ discussion on e-commerce really interesting. The Internet has changed nearly every aspect of the retail experience for both the retailer and the consumer. While I don’t feel that the Internet will ever negate the need for brick and mortar locations, the trend is certainly toward e-commerce.

Over the past year, I’ve relied heavily on Amazon.com for everything from textbooks to camera equipment to things for my apartment. I find that I’m attracted to the customer reviews and ratings features, which could never be duplicated in a face-to-face setting. I think that for purchasing certain items, especially tech products, the ability to view detailed product specifications alongside customer reviews is hands down a better way to shop than heading to Best Buy or even a camera store and trying to figure out what’s the right product for you. For clothes and other things that need to be sampled or tried on, I think it’s another story. While the Intellifit and other related technologies are really interesting and impressive, I doubt it will ever take the place of going to the mall and trying on jeans. In my opinion, online shopping is hugely beneficial to consumers as they can shop around, avoid salesperson pressure and save time and money. In my exprerience, customer service is paramount to online retailers and forces them to do an amazing job compared to return counters or call lines. What are your thoughts and experiences with online shopping? What kinds of products do you see yourself continually buying online or in retail locations?

One thing that stood out in my mind during our class discussion was my use of Sephora.com. Sephora is a makeup and skincare retailer that has stores in many malls and even in some department stores. I started buying products from Sephora.com because there was no Sephora store in Asheville, where I’m from. I’ve continued shopping there even since moving to school here, where there’s a brick and mortar location a few mile away, because they have e-mail marketing down to an absolute art. I find myself going to the store to browse and test products then ordering them online where I often get free shipping, samples and free gifts. It’s the best of both worlds for me, but may not be sustainable for the company as the Southpoint location is not receiving my business even though I’m purchasing products in the end. Has anyone else had a similar experience where they shopped for products at a brick and mortar store with no intention to purchase anywhere but online? How do you think businesses can best capitalize on customers like me who want the hands-on shopping experience but always look for online bargains?

In one of my Entrepeneurship classes, we did a case study on Netflix. It is incredibly interesting to read about the development of a company that found the opportunity in online shopping and completely opted out of any physical store locations. While it was revolutionary and hugely successful at the time, even Netflix is losing business to even more convenient services like Redbox and iTunes, not to mention illegal downloading/streaming websites. What do you think the future holds for retail? Do you think we’ll still have stores like Best Buy? Internet retailing seems like an amazing way to minimize overhead costs and pass the savings on to customers, but are you concerned about the potential decline of the social shopping experience?

One important aspect of e-commerce that I think is most impressive is the rise of tiny independent businesses that are so specialized they could never survive in a single bricks and mortar location. Sites like craigslist and eBay allow peer-to-peer sales of useful goods and services available in close proximity or only a shipment away. You can generally find something to suit your needs and budget without leaving your home. Other sites such as etsy.com allow artists to support themselves by displaying their goods in a huge, international online marketplace where they have the best chance of reaching customers. How do you think e-commerce provides opportunities for small businesses and entrepreneurs? Have you personally witnessed any examples?