In the hopes of avoiding a robot apocalypse (or with a less dramatic take, in the hopes of ensuring humans get the most from AI), Tesla founder Elon Musk and company have started OpenAI, a non-profit that plans on open sourcing artificial intelligence. Instead of creating AI to make money for shareholders, their goal will be to maximize AI’s enormous potential for all of humanity, profits be damned.
Scientists and engineers have long been trying to master AI, and many huge leaps in the technology have occurred in recent years. A method called “deep learning” has made giant strides. According to a much more tech savvy blog than we (Wired), deep learing is this:
“Deep learning relies on what are called neural networks, vast networks of machines that approximate the networks of neurons in the human brain. Feed enough photos of a cat into a neural net, and it can learn to identify a cat. Feed enough dialogue into a neural net, and it can learn to carry on a pretty good, if sometimes dodgy, conversation.”
So far, OpenAI has lured more than $1 billion dollars in investments. Hopefully it’s a non-profit we hear a lot from in the coming years.*
*As long as it’s not for the whole robot apocalypse thing. I’m not cut out for it.
