“So where does the science end and the science fiction start?”
According to Elon Musk, the founder of Tesla, artificial intelligence is taking over the world, therefore, humans need to become cyborgs to stay relevant. The rise of machines, robots, and artificial intelligence will lead to mass unemployment. Soon, there will barley be any jobs that humans can do that robots can’t do better.
To still be of value, humans must merge biological intelligence with artificial intelligence. In a couple of years, humans will have gathered enough information about neurology, so they will be able to produce neuroprosthetics. These neuroprosthetics will give humans the capability of telepathy, extra memory, and the ability to see in the dark.
Brain-computer interfaces have been used before, but in a much simpler manner. Mainly, they were used to “restore motor control for paralyzed patients and enable communication for [patients] with brain injuries that prevent them from communicating verbally or gesturally.
There is no doubt that robots are replacing humans in a variety of fields. However, one field I have never imagined a robot to replace humans in is education. There is something about teachers and their relationships with students that makes a change in students’ lives. But I am not able to imagine that same effect or relationship between students and robots. Teaching is more than just reciting concepts. But, teacher robots are making their debut all around the world. Here is a video of a robot teaching a class in India. Her presence looks creepily realistic. Take a look at it, I personally do not feel that I’d want myself, or anyone in fact, around a robot that much because I believe that is plays an effect on delveopment.
In Ramadan 2020, Egypt sees its first science fiction series, Al Nehaya. The plot is set 100 years from now. It revolves around a computer scientist/engineer who lives in a dystopian world with cyborgs.
One situation that happened in the series is the cyborg clones. One of the scientists created a clone of another man’s wife to spy on him. The man has no idea that he is interacting with a robot, not his actual wife. This displays how realistic the robot looks and acts, since the man can’t tell if it is his own wife. Moreover, it shows us a glimpse of the future and white other generations might be living in.
The show also mentions the fact that educations is almost banned. Specific people are chosen to be educated, while the rest are treated like slaves.
The show has even reached an international audience due to the comments made about the alliance between the United States and Israel.
I highly recommend watching this series because it relates a lot to the issues we discussed through out the course and it overall very interesting!
At the first glance at Miquela, one would instantly think that she is a living being. She takes mirror selfies, her hair has flyaways, she has a shadow, she complaines about she has a voice, thus, it took the world sometime to realize that this influencer is actually computer generated.
She debuted on Instagram in April of 2016 – the world was already tech savvy, but definitely did not expect that we’d reach this far. With her debut, many questioned her existence, and theorized that she is a marketing plan for the videogame Sims. Due to the nature of editing your photos on Instagram, the way she looked unhuman actually made people question that she is real, since this is what many are doing today. However, as she posted photographs of herself and friends eating at some of the hot spots in LA, with celebrities, and wearing some of the biggest brands in Milan Fashion Week, her follows were simply confused.
Miquela wearing Prada in Fashion Week, Milan 2018
“In selfies, you can see the freckles on Miquela’s face; her gap-toothed smile. But up close, her brown hair, often pulled into Princess Leia–esque buns, looks airbrushed (Twitter users have noted that her flyaway frizz always falls in the same pattern). Her skin reads as smooth as the glass screen that separates us. And when you peer into Miquela’s big brown eyes, she fails the ultimate test of humanity. No, Miquela isn’t real — at least not like you and me. She is an avatar puppeteered by Brud, a mysterious L.A.-based start-up of “engineers, storytellers, and dreamers” who claim to specialize in artificial intelligence and robotics.” said one reporter.
After she launched her music, the controversy around her blew up. She then revealed that she is not a human, and blamed Brud, the company that created her, into lying to her and her follows to believe that she is human. Although it is an obvious PR stunt, she paved the way for other CGI models and influencers, who seem to be taking over the internet.
People today are idolizing a “person” that they could easily create on their laptops. Are these digitally created beings the future of fashion advertising? It seems that they are slowly going to take over a market specifically designed for humans and their desires. Here are some of the other digitally designed influencers:
Rick and Morty is an American science fiction sitcom animation, which revolves around a sociopathic scientist, Rick, and his grandson, Morty, who take adventures around the universe. The series tackles various real-world issues today.
In the episode Raising Gazorpazorp, Morty convinces Rick to buy him a sex robot whilst they are on an adventure.
Morty when he sees the realistic looking robot at the store.
Morty’s free time seems to be consumed with the sex robot and he even gives her a name, which unsettles his parents. This is how most humans would react to having a sex robot, especially as an adolescent going through puberty. He then reveals a metal ball which gives birth to an infant. Post inspecting the robot, Rick confirms that the infant actually contains half of Morty’s DNA. Rick later dissects the robot to discover that it is from the planet Gazorpazorp, where sex robots are the main tool for reproduction and females are the superior gender, since men had no use besides assisting with the reproduction.
Rick dissecting the robot.
This episode was likely used as a warning to mankind, as the massive rise of female sex robots might eventually lead to the ultimate reliance on sex robots for reproduction, losing the purpose and essence of intercourse.
During the last semester in my RHET class, we were analysing Japanese cinema and we came across this short film, Automation, which shows the effect of artificial intelligence on human life and its limitations.
Plot Summary
Automation stars Hiro, an introverted worker, who is usually companionless. Due to his desperation for companionship, Hiro purchases a female robot maid.The robot was not given a name, but was referred to as CRM 02 (Comfort Robot). The robot cleans his home, makes his bed, prepared his clothes, knows a variety of recipes from around the world, etc. The same sequence of events happened everyday. There’s nothing more a busy worker would desire; thus, he appreciated the robot and started to fall in love. Hiro then goes out and buys her a bouquet of flowers. To his surprise, the CRM 02 failed to show any sign of emotions. As he sat next to her one evening, he laid her on the couch as kissed her; but again, the robot gave no response. Disappointedly, Hiro turned his back and walked out. The next morning, he wrapped CRM 02 in its package. On his way to work, he met a woman, bought her flowers, and experienced her appreciation.
(Find a couple of stills from the film attached below)
Analysis
Although the robot might have been capable to enhance some fun in his existence and make his life smoother by doing his chores, it seemed to isolate him even further. This is just a microcosm of what we experience in the world today. There is no doubt that technology does have its benefits, but, it should not replace human interaction. Technology will never have the ability to replace warmth and care humans have. It is simply a mere creation.
This is the first time Hiro sees CRM 02 after he unpackages her.
This is the scene where Hiro gives CRM 02 the flowers. Focus on the difference in their facial expressions.
1099 Cyborgs, Avatars, and Everyday life 2019 