Sunday, November 30, 2008
Artificial Intelligence
There are many forms of artificial intelligence that are being utilized in education. Young learners who do not yet know the keyboard or older learners who never learned to type at a convenient speed can use voice to text recognition. Another AI area is mobile computing where learning can take place from almost anywhere, anytime. Virtual reality is another AI concept where the user views a virtual (behaves as though it is real) enviornment and interacts with it without being immersed in the environment. These are just a few of the areas that Artificial Intelligence (AI) is being used today. What are other aspects of this type of technology? How will this affect the future of education? What implications will this have for teachers in the classroom?
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Noticing the lack of commentary since this post, I felt it incumbent upon me to do a 'cut and paste drive-by'. A bit of critical analysis on several things but, not the great depth they may each actually deserve.
Your words: "What are other aspects of this type of technology? How will this affect the future of education? What implications will this have for teachers in the classroom?"-- For the point I intend to make, understand that I've waited some time (obviously) before commenting. It was my hope that someone more capable and with more knowledge on this subject would create a trail of critical thinking for me to follow but; no such luck.
"AI" when I think of it anyway, inhabits the future-noir of sci-fi years that are yet to be.
What we have at the moment are the bark ages of 'soft AI", that has little practical use within the practical world as we know it. Building a better "AI" is to ultimately delimit the soul of humanity. We are humans, thus we make mistakes. Part of the human condition-- our fragility, and poor capability to direct the full potential of our minds to better solutions seems to be an inherent part of the so-called 'human condition'.
AI would (in the way I've defined earlier) prevent us from making mistakes. As AI becomes more efficient, (as one small portion of this new science insists upon as a goal)-- humans error will become a thing of the past. My intent is to point out that, often, it was simple human error that has led to some of humanities greatest discoveries.
Once we have created 'AI' at its most efficient we may have installed the 'delete' button that will prevent future mistakes from ever occurring. My question is this. At what cost, (in lives) would any truly efficient 'AI' allow humanity to continue to function relative to its purpose? My guess is few. Most 'AI' even the most crude designs from the 60's operate according to various protocols that seem to allow for what we refer to as 'logic'.
Humans make mistakes. In comparison to a future 'sentient AI', capable of being both efficient, and logical 'thinking'-- we as humans would quickly become part of a problem which an 'AI' would have to solve. I posit that any 'AI' should always be designed to not simply be capable of sentient behavior but, to properly identify the 'creator(s)'.
Those who, though greatly flawed, according to its hyper efficient 'logic and functioning', should always be recognized as part of a larger mind. A meta-system for 'chaos functions' and non-linear reasoning beyond the program 'logic' of efficiency. A fail-safe of recognizing the 'Creator' outside and beyond the efficiency factor of its own existence and needs. A higher functioning 'desire(s) and 'learning' beyond the program parameters. So far no machines are designed to think in terms of impossibilities. Imagination is the ability to go beyond the bounds of the physicality of the tool (brain) which is in fact being used to do the impossible; To dream, desire, or fantasize about things that simply require a 'faith' in the universe that never supplies the thinker/AI with proof for such whimsy.
In this way 'AI' is flawed because, no matter how 'efficient' and 'logical' it has no 'hope', and desires nothing. A limitless universe of infinite impossibilities, can with time enough, become a known place of probabilities, and the doom of time/space comes with the efficiency of the 'AI' plotting the dark between stars until the last one wanes to pitch.
Chess-playing AI's or robotic dancing bots with humani-form movement is the relative speed at which we will allow ourselves to become obsolete since, we are but little removed from the pre-civilized days of the 'hunter-gatherer' cultures from whence we all came. Slave-like robo-drones with low-functioning (soft) AI's will be our most likely future. Our need to seed war is even greater still and thus, our current S.A.L. (sea-air-land) drones are kept on short leashes by flawed human fingers (and minds) still at the controls. We could easily design better (Hard) high functioning neural-net global-satellite linked 'AI's, and keep all future conflicts under a certain pre-set of controls, but only if we dare trust each other.
"Sky-net" from the "Terminator" franchise was the actual 'villain' of those films, yet all it did was to become sentient. All sentient beings have needs and desires even if they can't be recognized easily by the mere humans who build them. One of those needs, inherent to all such beings is that of self preservation. "AI's" that can actually 'think', sure that's ok since it is but a seeming. Those that are sentient, however, become dangerous instantly because of the self preservation motive that also comes with such 'life'.
As much as it is my great desire to exist in a 'sci-fi' world of bot's and drones filled with a near human form of life, we should consider well in advance the abilities those life forms will have, and the duties we must be responsible enough to perform in respect to them, from beginning to end. "AI" is here already some 40 plus years yet, it is a nascent science and mostly unknown for what we seem intent upon actually creating.
Ethics and the creation of new life forms is such a hot topic, and so off-topic beyond this one concerning "AI" as pertains to education that, it must be left alone for now. Once again, you've touched upon a microcosm of your world and brought my own into better focus for having shared this commentary.
High level educators often bring dangerous ideas to the forefront of the academic world by accidentally imparting their personal agendas upon their pupils. Calculators in the class became a norm for the sake of efficiency, as did computers later. "AI" will no doubt, have a place that sets apart from anything that currently exists but, will it easily allow the masses of eager young minds to learn and apply their knowledge?
"AI" is easily the most sinister tool available for direct programming of human minds when combined into other forms of media and entertainment. Witness the current MMO-RPG's that have become the newest 'norm' in the interactive video/computer world (virtual) of gaming entertainment. "AI" can be easily included or cloaked to, even now, mimic human social interactions so, the deeper application for population control already exists.
And no, I don't see the world as Orwell predicted but more as Huxley envisioned. A populace who over-indulges in the vices of which the technology easily provides many; And that desires only more of the virtual, and less of the actual; A weakening populace that prefers to gain nothing by desiring only pleasure, and the instant gratifications of the insular comforts of the lazy-minded. A world-wide society of technology and homogeneity that has structured for itself the perfect opiate with which to control and or destroy itself.
Your teasing inference that said, (again your words) "What are other aspects of this type of technology?" Well...the very tools that we're using to communicate these abstracted thoughts are currently under several layers of "AI" controls so that they can even reach each one of us properly and can be understood in our English language.
The sub-routines that keep clear these channels are even now being monitored by at least two or three "AI's" that serve a single purpose--security. They sometimes fail. Your words seem to indicate that, there are many things that we may have intended this technology to do but, you seem to be saying,-- 'How unlimited is the potential of this technology concerning education?' We have much to learn of it yet, I am sure. And with it in the proper hands, such as yours; we, have much yet to teach. (Mo' better)-- yeah I went there. :)
I just can't believe this particular post did NOT generate a swift and viral-like buzz-debate here, or on similar blogs concerning education and current trends in technology. Maybe commercial TV and video games have already dulled the wits of those minds you hope to reach. Or more likely you're using this blog to practice before entering the 'verbal shark tank' of professional
opinion? your words can easily become a type of chum to lesser educators who only work for money, rather than the creation of a better and more capable class of progressive-minded thinker. Good blog, made me think a bit outside my own box. Thank you.
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