The Robots Score Another Win, But We're Good Sports
The great match between Google's AlphaGo and the world's best human player of Go is concluded, and the human lost 4 games to 1. (However, that one game gives we humans some hope.) To reward AlphaGo, South Korea's Go Association awarded the highest Go grandmaster rank, reserved for those whose ability at the ancient board game borders on "divinity":
http://www.straitstimes.com/asia/east-asia/googles-alphago-gets-divine-go-ranking
Granted, that's a little unsettling. But there's also some promise there. In spite of all the Hollywood junk where the robots go bonkers and try to kill the humans, I've always though that robots have more to fear from jealous humans than vice versa. There is no question that robots are already better than humans at some things, and will continue to surpass us at more things in the future. (It has been at least twenty years since the best robotic welders became able to turn out more perfect welds than the most skilled human ones.) But if we can accept being bested in some areas, maybe there's a chance for useful cooperation.
http://www.straitstimes.com/asia/east-asia/googles-alphago-gets-divine-go-ranking
Granted, that's a little unsettling. But there's also some promise there. In spite of all the Hollywood junk where the robots go bonkers and try to kill the humans, I've always though that robots have more to fear from jealous humans than vice versa. There is no question that robots are already better than humans at some things, and will continue to surpass us at more things in the future. (It has been at least twenty years since the best robotic welders became able to turn out more perfect welds than the most skilled human ones.) But if we can accept being bested in some areas, maybe there's a chance for useful cooperation.