Category Archives: Hardware

Friday 16th November 2018

No More Privacy Any More? (Just putting this out there)

OK, some of this material isn’t new but I’ve been asked to edit a special (Information) journal edition on (something like) ‘Will AI, Big Data and the IoT Mean the End of Privacy?’ The plan is to circulate a ‘discussion paper’ to encourage submissions. What follows is an early draft of that (extended from The Prof on a Train Game) so it won’t hurt to get it ‘out there’ as soon as possible. Comments welcome below, by email, message, whatever …

Abstract

The embodiment of the potential loss of privacy through a combination of AI, big data and IoT technology might be something like an integrated app capable of recognising anyone, anytime, anywhere: a sort of ‘Shazam for People‘, but one capable of returning seriously personal material about the individual. How credible is such a system? And what might stop it?

Introduction: A Future Scenario?

It’s 2025 or thereabouts. You meet someone at an international conference. Even before they’ve started to introduce themselves, your IoT augmented reality glasses have told you everything you needed to know … and a lot more you didn’t.

Jerry Gonzales. Born (02/11/1970): Glasgow, UK, dual (plus USA) citizenship; 49 years old. Married 12/12/1994 (Ellen Gonzales, nee Schwartz), divorced 08/06/2003; two daughters (Kate: 23, Sarah: 17); one son (David: 20). Previous employment: Microsoft, IBM, University of Pwllheli; current: unemployed. Health: smoker, heavy drinker, recurrent lung problems, diabetic, depression. Homeowner (previous); now public housing. Credit rating: poor (bankruptcy 10/10/2007); Insurance risk: high. Politics: Republican. etc., …, Sport: supports Boston Red Sox and Manchester United FC. …, Pornography: prefers straight but with mild abuse …, etc., etc.

1 Comment | tags: Big Data, Data algorithms, Data apps, Identification Vector, IoT, IV, Personal data, Personal Identification Mark, PIM, Privacy, RIoT, SfP, Shazam | posted in Algorithms, Computer Science, Computing, Hardware, Industry, Politics, Programming, Software

Wednesday 6th June 2018

Well, Don’t Say You Weren’t Warned!

By Vic Grout

As predicted some time ago, ‘celebrities’ (to use the term in its loosest sense) are now selling their images for sex robots! The newest addition may be particular familiar to certain US politicians …

To (somewhat reluctantly) quote Sputnik International Society … Continue reading

3 Comments | tags: Ethics, Moralty and ethics, Robot sex | posted in Hardware, Philosophy, Politics

Thursday 19th April 2018

The Singularity (Still) Isn’t Simple!

By Vic Grout

The ‘Technological Singularity’ debate rolls on with the publication of a special issue of MDPI’s ‘Information’ Journal: “AI AND THE SINGULARITY: A FALLACY OR A GREAT OPPORTUNITY?”

Papers published in the special edition, to date, include:

One of the papers, with an outlook (entirely unsurprisingly) in line with this blog is Vic Grout‘s, “The Singularity isn’t Simple! (However we look at it) A random walk between science fiction and science fact”. The abstract reads as follows:

2 Comments | tags: AGI, AI, Consciousness, Futurism, Futurology, Machine evolution, Machine intelligence, Machine replication, Science fiction, Technological singularity | posted in Computer Science, Computing, Hardware, Philosophy, Science, Software

Thursday 15th February 2018

‘THAT Won’t Happen!’

By Vic Grout

In 1977, Ken Olsen, founder and CEO of DEC, made an oft-misapplied statement, “there is no reason for any individual to have a computer in his home”. A favourite of introductory college computing modules – supposedly highlighting the difficulty in keeping pace with rapid change in computing technology, it appears foolish at a time when personal computers were already under development – including in his own laboratories. The quote is out of context, of course, and applies to Olsen’s scepticism regarding fully-automated assistive home technology systems (climate control, security, cooking food, etc.). However, as precisely these technologies gain traction, there may be little doubt that, if he stands unfairly accused of being wrong in one respect, time will inevitably prove him so in another.

So, in short: