Some Thoughts on A.I. and Our "Utter Inwardness"

When Artificial Intelligence Becomes an Abomination

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/ˈärdəˌfiSH(ə)l ənˈteləj(ə)ns/
noun
noun: artificial intelligence; noun: AI

1. the theory and development of computer systems able to perform tasks that normally require human intelligence, such as visual perception, speech recognition, decision-making, and translation between languages.

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The thermostat was invented by Warren Johnson in 1883 as a way of regulating the temperature in his classroom. Prior to that, an annoying janitor would constantly interrupt his classes, coming in to check the temperature and then making the long trek back to the basement to adjust the dampers.

According to our definition above, the thermostat was a primitive type of Artificial Intelligence, minus the complex computer—”the development of … systems able to perform tasks that normally require human intelligence.” Before the thermostat, the lonely janitor had to come into the room, feel how hot it was, and then go downstairs and open or close the dampers. After the thermostat, a complex series of coils expanded and contracted based on the temperature, automatically adjusting the dampers.

No interruptions. No pesky human error. No differing preferences. And no annoying janitor.

Two things seem to happen pretty much anytime we introduce AI into our lives: