Elon Musk predicts that in the not too distant future, huge advances in productivity brought on by AI and robotics could create a world where WORK is entirely option. There’s a very good chance he’s right. But if he is, does this road lead us to paradise, or perdition?
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Wall -E is a good reference. How about The Machine Stops,” E, M. Forester, very early 1900’s? It is a longish short story, available online.
Sadly at 72 Jenny’s beauty has not held up well.
Jenny was a two faced bitch that led poor Forest on cruelly for her own selfish reasons.
I was going to mention Wall-E until Steve did, but there is also the line in Matrix about the first few attempts that failed because the world was too perfect.
I have no problem being a Luddite. I’m not impressed with AI and believe the concept is being corrupted by those who can pay to drive it in accordance with their wishes. This happens while we collectively admire it and play with it. Work has value beyond merely paying the bills. It gives us purpose and direction. Retirement is the reward for having done work over 40-50 years and allows us to pursue interests that we perhaps weren’t able to capitalize on during our working careers. One of these days, this fascination with AI is going to blow up in… Read more »
I enjoyed the thought experiment of the discussion, but my brain got stuck on the idea that some work is “drudgery”. I prefer the view that all work that needs doing is worthwhile and the person doing that work is to be respected. That person is doing work instead of collecting a government check and sitting on the stoop. If we take away all the work that would be considered “drudgery”, then there is a segment of our society who no longer has a purpose because they don’t have the ability or temperment for higher pursuits. What happens to those… Read more »
Excellent! I was thinking the same things in response to Bill’s choice of word definitions. Just because work may be considered as drudgery by many, it must still be done. Most people will never have the luxury of a silver spoon, and as individuals we are better for it. Intellectuals are too often value snobbish attitudes and behaviors that demean others they consider beneath themselves. Such snobbery is as valueless as its owners.
I had an interesting debate with the AI guys on powering AI with solar. I’m trained in that field. They believe that 90% of the build out can be powered by solar, remote hydro and gas flares. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gas_flare Someone has bought up all the 5 MW gas turbines and is putting them on gas flare systems to power AI. Only the “on demand” AI requires continuous power. So when you ask it to do something and expect results in a few minutes power will matter. Teaching AI using data sets is not time sensitive so it can use off peak… Read more »
Technology used for long-term nuclear decay power cooling are also useful in that they do not require the “store[d] cold” that you mentioned. This technology is designed to provide cooling of nuclear power plants in the event of emergency scram of loss of coolant accidents (LOCAs), and they are passive, closed-loop systems (i.e., no pumps required and fully-contained).
Ain’t thermodynamics great?
Original sin is a lie and this is how it happened. It was beautiful warm sunny day with a light breeze, Adam decided to take a jog down to the lake for a swim. Along the way with the warm breeze blowing across his entire body he started to get a rise so he pushed it down and it came back up, he pushed it down again and so it goes until he has an orgasm. Adam has discovered masturbation and he liked it so he did it often. God looked at Adam and thought Adam was going to hurt… Read more »
The single redeeming factor in that absurd bit of blasphemy is that it’s obvious you copied and pasted it from someone else. Because it’s not written like a first grader struggling to learn English grammar, punctuation, spelling and capitalization. But hey, look on the bright side there Komrade lil’ Kommie Donny! Now we all know you’re a woman hating misogynist on top of all the other vile traits you’ve already demonstrated. I can’t wait until the next time you try to throw Scripture in our faces so I can remind everyone how you bastardized Genesis to make out like it… Read more »
I have a panic attack when I think of future retirement. I know me and idle hands are truly my devil’s workshop. If I’m not working, not accomplishing amazing things (OK, guys, I know my writing isn’t amazing. But, still…), I feel the day is a waste. My friends tell me that having a a chance at idleness is wonderful and I nod my head (and judge them harshly.). In Bill’s world, where it would be great to be able to avoid drudgery, I realize that I love raking the garden after weeding. I like leaving the kitchen cleaner than… Read more »
This probably won’t make you feel any better but … I kind of thought the same way about being retired and “having nothing to do”. It hasn’t worked out that way at all. Now I have time to do all the things I wanted to do but didn’t have time to do them OR didn’t have time to do them well. I am NEVER bored and I can’t possibly get all the things done I want to do in a day. This per force involves triage. So … I keep lists. I have two clipboards and when I think of… Read more »
When (lf?) I retire first I will catch up on my sleep. Get far too little now. That will take at most two weeks.
Once I get my sleep pattern established, I have a very long list of things I want to do.
Read lots of books. Garden. Get back into a chior/vocal ensemble again. Lead Bible studies (again, but been longer)… To start with.
Im sure I could come up with more if I need to.
The AI and Robotics guys debate three economic solutions: Universal Basic Income; Per Capita distribution of AI compute systems so everyone owns the AI/ Robots. Both paid for by taxes on either the chip fabs, the robots or the power technology that powers it all. And yes solar does work for AI. The other solution is: Demonetarization where things become too cheap to bill. The Star Trek Economy though technically this is just a cruise liner or a hotel economy were everything is pre paid or folded into the bill at the end of the day. I once watched a… Read more »
The reason we don’t have a two day working week is that we can’t all agree which two days. Some projects must be continuous to work: building a house or shipping groceries. Some put people on call. Fire fighters can spend hours polishing brass and playing computer games between fires. I asked my brother about his back log at his online work. “We don’t have a backlog anymore the work is diminishing.” He does payroll. The automated systems do 99% he does the 1% where someone has varied their hours strangely. Last week that was him after he hit a… Read more »