Artificial intelligence, AI, offers great opportunities. Better and cheaper healthcare, the opportunity for safer traffic, automation of a hazardous production and much more. At the same time challenged man in his own perception of what we sometimes call the ”crown of Creation”.
Professor Max Tegmark says in the book ”Life 3.0 To be human in the artificial intelligence era” that a computer program is an artificial intelligence must be regarded as life because it satisfies the characters you use as a definition of life, such as independent reflective and the ability to reproduce itself. He asks the question ”what is man?”, or ”what differentiates a human from other life forms?”.
Is a man is an animal whose species cannot make a claim for special treatment, and, computers can begin to be classified as life forms with the same claim to consideration?
If there are traces of man’s potential wickedness planted in the artificial intelligence, what could the consequences be if this intelligence is developed so that most people can utmanövreras of it?
For theologians, the concept of Imago Dei, the image of God, lifted up in the light. In the First Mosebokens the second chapter states that God ”breathed life into” man. In the book of Ezekiel in the Old testament (chapter 37) describes the prophet a vision of dead bones, clothed with flesh and becoming bodies. When the Spirit blows on them, they become alive. Life is according to this picture, not that there are bodies, but only after the Spirit has seemed. In Genesis (chapter 1 verse 28 and chapter 2, verse 15), one can deduce that a particular förvaltarskapsuppdrag has been given to man.
To be in the image of God seems to be put into a context of taking responsibility for all life, human as well as everything else.
A small responsibility could hardly come in question, but possibly a extended. I mean that man has the responsibility for it as an artificial life in the form of a piece of software or a system can achieve. But the liability issue is still complicated and need to be highlighted.
Evil and goodness are as real and potential forces in every human being. When man creates life in the software impossible to assert that evil does not exist in the actual design. If there are traces of man’s potential wickedness planted in the artificial intelligence, what could the consequences be if this intelligence is developed so that most people can utmanövreras of it?
I see a growing confidence in the market and its forces. The trust can be used as an excuse for people to get away from his responsibilities. You can blame the market forces to which it will be, that jobs will be lost, that environmental considerations cannot be taken and so on. It is entirely possible that technology and AI will have a similar role. The consequences of it may be that we are blaming the computer software that controls the social services decision, or who had to take over the democratic decision functions.
I don’t think it is something to strive for I see that work can be a significant part of the människovarandet. We simply need to reflect on what the work is. If the AI takes over most of the tasks of production, administration and management, may people time for other things. Perhaps you engage in art and music.
But the AI can very well produce both art and music. Should we therefore refrain from creativity to a computer makes it better? I think most of us agree that the creation in art is important in itself, and should not be replaced merely that it is possible.
If a man designs a computer program with the ability to develop itself, which is then purchased by another man and causing a third man to injury. Whose is the fault? Programmer’s? The owner’s? Or you can set the program to account and imposing criminal liability by a machine? It is here that the question of responsibility is being placed on its tip. What is the meaning of the responsibility that we normally have for each other? Should we let the age-old quote: ”am I my brother’s keeper?” become ”I’ll take responsibility for my machine?”.
A computer program can do much faster calculations than a human can. It is reasonable to believe that self-learning programs can also be developed to be generally more intelligent than people. When this happens, the software in the ”cloud” to be able to maneuver people out in the larger context.
Prominent scientists like Stephen Hawking have warned against this and believe that it is a greater threat to life as we know it than what both nuclear war and climate change. I have also heard the opinion that it does not do anything if the AI would exterminate humanity, because it must be seen as an evolutionary time, and thus is positive.
I am aware of the risks associated with what we call ”superintelligence” and a mechanical singularity in which computer programs compete out the man. Anyway don’t scare the AI to me, and the reason is my christian beliefs and my theological analysis. When it comes to concern over the future, I am more worried about people than about machines. It also includes the people who are developing the machines.
the AI is so important that more than scientists and technicians need to participate in the conversation. Not the least need all that talk about human dignity and about the life on the earth talk about the future with the AI, if its opportunities and its risks. New technologies are developed sometimes on the basis of enthusiasm among young engineers who discover what you can do, and forget what you should do and should not do.
A theological analysis is needed both in order to free up the courage to develop AI, and in order to stay up and think. The theology gets a little as it orienteraren do when you dare to take the time to read the map and compass in order to win the competition.
at the same time as the desire to win the competition can be likened to driven of researchers who need encouragement and help to find the areas where the AI can make considerable improvements to the quality of life. We need to be both bold and thoughtful.
the Swedish church has begun to work with the issue of AI and what it is like to be a man in a teknikdominerad world. An example of this work is that all the priests in the diocese gather at the end of January to a conference with the theological analysis of AI as the main theme.