Episode Thirty Three: Our Robot Overlords Part I

So I realize that as a woman blogger I'm supposed to blog about women things... and for the modern Geeky woman there is one topic she must often stop and think about.  That's right- the impending robot apocalypse.  We live in an age of increasing automation and every year scientists are making new breakthroughs in the development of artificial intelligence.  We never know just what will remain in the pages of Sci-Fi and what will become our next reality. 

For those of us who grew up on the compelling Terminator saga, the philosophical tapestry known as Short Circuit, or that tv show with the annoying robot girl, we were left to ponder deep questions about the concept of free will and the root of the human condition.  We were also left with the haunting reality: when will our robot overlords come, and how badly will they hurt us?

By the way, have you purchase your Old Glory robot insurance policy yet?  

So what are your thoughts?  Will robots destroy the earth such as those in The Terminator or the Matrix?  Will robots help us rediscover our own long lost humanity and sense of beauty- such as in WallE and Short Circuit?  Will robots eventually control us for our own good?  Or will our justice system be radically changed when executioner bots refuse to break Asimov's first law?

I'd love to hear your comments, no matter how crazy (because crazy comments entertain saner readers).  The next few days the Curve Zone will be exploring possible manifestations of the downfall of humanity via robot.

So here is day one:

Robots: Humanity at the Mercy of Overlord Clipy

The problem with artificial intelligence is when you come to a junction in which a sentient robot is functioning poorly but self-aware and therefore knows you're trying to reboot it.  Forget hoards of murderous machines strangling the life from the weak, human oppressors.  Nay, imagine a world run by bureaucracy.  It's like filing your taxes every day with your new robot overlords.  It started off as variation of out-sourcing.  As robots progress to more intelligent beings they are used as a cheap replacement to humans.  High initial investment- but one is not required to pay or feed a robot.  They can work long hours, holidays, it doesn't matter.

The horror begins when you envision the frustrations of an automated world.  This is not to assume that robots remain tethered to the limitations of their coding- but rather the fact that Robots will most likely have an affinity to order, procedure, and cutting out that excessive human emotion element.  The upside is that irate jerks will no longer receive reinforcement for having emotional outbursts against customer service personnel.  Customer service bot doesn't give a crap. 

Personally I draw a blank stare whenever I try to read legal forms.  It is as though the author has set out to make the fine print as confusing as humanly possible.  I imagine a world like that.  While it highly possible to have a user-friendly interface- this is a "what if the robots took over" scenario.  Sentient machines, enforcing their way of conducting life.  They'd be the Spock to your McCoy.  And if that doesn't scare you- their first recognized deity will be Lord Clipy. 

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