Lifeboat Foundation: Safeguarding Humanity
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Category: robotics/AI – Page 2195

Machine learning algorithms and artificial intelligence systems influence many aspects of people’s lives: news articles, movies to watch, people to spend time with, access to credit, and even the investment of capital. Algorithms have been empowered to make such decisions and take actions for the sake of efficiency and speed. Despite these gains, there are concerns about the rapid automation of jobs (even such jobs as journalism and radiology). A better understanding of attitudes toward and interactions with algorithms is essential precisely because of the aura of objectivity and infallibility cultures tend to ascribe to them. This report illustrates some of the shortcomings of algorithmic decisionmaking, identifies key themes around the problem of algorithmic errors and bias, and examines some approaches for combating these problems. This report highlights the added risks and complexities inherent in the use of algorithmic decisionmaking in public policy. The report ends with a survey of approaches for combating these problems.

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In its new budget, the government of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau pledged $93 million ($125 million Canadian) to support A.I. research centers in Toronto, Montreal and Edmonton, which will be public-private collaborations.

Today’s striking advances in artificial intelligence owe a lot to research in Canada over the years. But the country has so far failed to cash in.

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Despite the popular belief that artificial intelligence is coming to take your jobs away, accountants would love some robotic help to get them through the day. This is according to a new report by Sage, which says 96 percent of accountants are confident about the future of accountancy as well as their role in it.

Despite welcoming change, more than two thirds of respondents (68 percent) expect their roles to change through automation, in the future.

Here’s what accountants are expecting from automation: almost four in ten (38 percent) see number-crunching as their number one frustration. Thirty-two percent still use manual methods for this work. A quarter (25 percent) use Excel while seven percent still use handwritten notes.

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Nowadays, the latest buzzword of attraction is “Artificial Intelligence” and its immediate impact on our advertising sector. As the CEO of Gravity4, I thought it to be only appropriate to help dissect this new evolutionary phase of our industry as we apply it. It is no doubt that ‘Deep Learning’ is our future, and it is on course to have a huge impact on the lives of everyday consumers and business sectors. In the scientific world, deep learning is referred to as “deep neural networks”. These involve a family of artificial intelligence, popularly known as AI, something named way back in 1955, and something which Facebook, Google and Microsoft are all now pushing for with Herculean force. In fact, according to the international data corporation, it is estimated that from a global standpoint, by 2020, the artificial intelligence market could reach close to $50 billion.

Getting to Grips With the Terminology

AI refers to a collection of tools and technologies, some of which are relatively new, and some of which are time-tested. The techniques that are employed allow computers to use these tools and technologies to imitate human intelligence. These include: machine learning such as deep learning, decision trees, if-then rules, and logic.

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The humans never had a chance.

As expected, the latest poker-playing bot powered by an artificial intelligence designed by a duo from Carnegie Mellon University beat a team of some of the best poker players in China.

Lengpudashi, the AI developed by Professor Tuomas Sandholm and Noam Brown, a graduate student at CMU, finished five days of Heads-Up, No-Limit Texas Hold’em with nearly $800,000 in chips and walked away with $290,000.

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Many of these same experts point to the human experience as a key differentiator for accountants. Many people and businesses have unique needs that first or second generation AI will be unable to understand. For example, explaining complicated tax forms is better done by a human than AI right now.

Accountants today have the power to define the future of the profession. The industry must develop the ability to adapt and evolve, as well as become proactive about the needs of tomorrow’s clients. Accounting as a profession needs to change, providing consultation and guidance to help clients prepare for and meet the future.

I think offering clients insight and expertise is a better bet than offering a simple service that can be replicated by machines.

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Here’s a very important article to me—and a part of my platform moving forward. Automation is coming, but we don’t need to raise taxes to pay for a Basic Income. There are other ways to deal with our jobless future and poverty in America.

Like the Titanic, capitalism is sinking, but few passengers are wondering yet if there are enough lifeboats.

I recently declared my run as a Libertarian for California governor in 2018, and I gently support the idea of a state-funded basic income to offset the effects of ubiquitous automation. A basic income would give every Californian some money — and it makes sense to start such a dramatic program here in the Golden State, since this is where much of the human-job-replacing-tech is created.

My Libertarian friends are skeptical of my support for a basic income. They insist the only way to pay for such a program is via higher taxes. This is not true; other ways exist. California could potentially cut deals with the federal government to lease its empty land and natural resources to help pay for a basic income.

Continue reading “Is monetizing federal land the way to pay for basic income?” | >