Ian Pearson

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Ian Pearson BTexact Technologies Ethical
implications of new technologies
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Technology racing ahead faster than our
understanding
Technology
Capability
Science
1M BC
1960
2025
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Cause of death

• Traffic accident 1 in 100
• Murder 1 in 300
• Electrocution 1 in 5000
• Air crash 1 in 20,000
• Asteroid strike 1 in 20,000
• Flood 1 in 30,000

Source New Scientist, 3 Mar 01
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The technology downside - are we building a
Karmic debt?
No. of ways of killing ourselves
1M BC
1960
2025
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Dangerous technologiesAre the benefits worth the
risks?
Nanotechnology Artificial Intelligence Robotics
Genetic Manipulation
30 chance of extinction within a century, Bill
Joy, Sun Microsystems Of course, this might be
an underestimate since he didnt consider all
the threats!
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Nanotechnology

• Manipulate matter at molecular levels
• Self replicating devices
• Atomically precise materials
• Lightning fast computation massive storage
• Convert mud, air and water into roast beef
• But...
• Could we accidentally convert people into grey
  goo by dismantling them. Probably not, but we may
  do some very serious harm. It is much easier to
  destroy than to build!

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AI Progress
Machine
Calculations
Chess
Data analysis
Invention
Humour
Music
Novels
Personality
Art
Human
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Computer v human performance
Information processing (FLOPS) storage (bits)
human brain
computer
time
-100M
-1M
1940
1990
2040
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OB1 - first generation optical brain
1 trillion neural processors in gel Free-space
optical connections Neuron weighting by spectral
sensitivity enables optical hormones Embedded
processors driven on digital/analog threshold Use
of Pauli Switches clocked by Heisenberg
resonators Bathed in data field from other
processors
Gel
Optical hormone
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Computer crime
Test in Limited Environment
Replicate with Errors
Kill Poor Performers
Select Fittest

• Evolution techniques work just as well for
  criminal software
• Can make use of distributed computing platform,
  with or without permission
• Emergence encoded software
• Fraud engines using ecosystem adaptation
• Blackmail engines, using surveillance

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Social stresses

• Many traditional jobs will be eradicated Most
  people will have to retrain
• This will be a regular occurrence
• Genders will not be equally affected
• Many young men may feel unwanted
• An anti-technology backlash is possible

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Deep thought

• Smart machines may demand and enforce rights
• We wont understand the systems around us
• Terminator is technologically feasible

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No longer alone, 2010-2015
homo erectus
homo sapiens
homo sapiens
homo habilis
homo sapiens neanderthalensis
robotus primus
Today
50 years
- 1.5M years
- 125,000 years
- 750,000 years
- 40,000 years
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Religious Implications

• Can Robotus Primus truly be conscious and self
  aware? Is OB1 feasible?
• What is its perceived purpose in life?
• What should its rights (and responsibilities) be?
• Will God adopt it if it is capable of free will?
• Could it recognise good and evil or just follow
  our lead?

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Genetic Modification

• Potential greening of Africa, cure starvation,
  improve nutrition
• Better foods, better animals
• Disease prevention and cures
• Customised pets, e.g. mix dog and cat attrributes
• Customised people
• We could improve on DNA, add new bases, and
  redesign humans from scratch

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Major Risks

• Accidental or deliberate creation of harmful
  organisms, either directly or by unforeseen
  interaction with ecosystem
• Possible virus crossover from computers to people
• Environmental destruction could occur before we
  find a solution
• What limits should we place on tweaking the
  organic world?

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Foetal customisation?
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Woman machine ?
Demon Seed DNA Optimisation Smarter-than-man
machines Trouble
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Implications of homo hybridus

• Hybrid custom designed humanoid life form -
  partly organic, partly electronic
• Most of the mind runs in cyberspace so death is a
  reduced problem.
• Body is rapidly becoming a liability
• Freedom from the body is in sight
• How far should we go?

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Shared virtual environments
Some real potential to improve our lives and
reduce loneliness
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Social problem - escapism
Increases in rates of murder, rape and sexual
assault as some people carry cyber-behaviours
into real world
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Finding someone

• Text chat rooms today, VR avatars tomorrow
• Can try out different behaviours and appearances
  without risk
• Diversity implications
• Personality disorders arising
• Some people get hurt!

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Finding partners - Ego badge
Technology Radio Ultrasound Infrared
Information Names Business cards Hobbies
interests Sexual preferences Availability etc
Business Making useful contacts Conference
networking Finding someone at an
airport Social Night Clubs and parties Making
new friends

• Intelligent personal information exchange between
  badges

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Active contact lens -improving the visual
experience

• Immersive environments
• Information overlay
• Full 3D, lifelike quality
• Image customisation
• Image substitution
• Visual recording
• Fantasy exploration

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder
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Gettingtogether
Multisensory environments People can be accepted
for their minds without their appearance putting
people off May produce stronger relationships
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IT progress

• Environments can include total realism
• Direct link to septal area and avoid the mess
• Orgasmatron and pleasure sticks
• Experiments show you can even generate love
• Sensory customisation - arbitrary responses
• De-humanises sexual process

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Machines and sex
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Ultimately, an end to sex?

• Body, mind, personality, cyberspace appearance
  will all be totally arbitrary
• Psycho-physical/social/emotional activity mapping
  will also become arbitrary
• We can have any experience at all from any
  activity at all, any time at all
• Relationship mechanisms will change
• Sex could lose its social and physical relevance
  and be replaced by things that are more fun

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Today - Chips under the skin
Chip monitors blood chemistry nerve activity
e.g. Digital angel from Applied Digital Systems
Allows supervision of patients after leaving
hospital Can monitor condition over a long
period Can be used with location identification
services
Communication with clinic computers
positioning systems
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Tomorrow - Active skin system overview
e.g. displays, pagers, phones
Wearable layer
e.g. drug dispensers, interfaces
Detachable layer
e.g. drug filters, haptics, sensors
Transfer layer
e.g. temporary ID, regime spec
Skin
Mid-term layer
Epidermis
e.g. ID, medical monitoring
Permanent layer
Dermis
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Drug delivery via smart membrane
Smart membrane
Open pores
Dispensing unit
Closed pores
control unit
Pore detail
Smart membrane
Top view, open
Side view, open
Drug Flow
Skin
Top view, closed
Side view, closed
Open conduit array
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Nerve connection for sensory monitoring and
stimulation
Signals on nerve fibre can be intercepted,
analysed, transmitted to devices at upper layer,
recorded, reproduced and re-injected into nerve
fibre
Transfer layer device
Processing electronics
Skin
Thin Wire
Nerve fibre
Removable layer device
Nerve connection
Signal to from removable device
Transfer layer device
Processing electronics
Signal to from nerve
Side views
Nerve fibre
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Continued Bio-infotech progress

• Personality modification
• Telepathic linking via bionic implants
• Shared consciousness, communal mind
• Shared responsibility
• Fuzzy boundaries between people
• Shared bodies
• Use someone elses body via mind swapping
• Mind personality exchange

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The Medium, 2040 - 2050

• Virtual brain extension
• Full understanding of all knowledge
• Shared consciousness awareness
• Shared modified personalities?
• Humans and machines
• Potential to dominate
• Potential to learn and develop
• Free will responsibility

Medium
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Human-machine Convergence
homo erectus
homo sapiens ludditus
homo sapiens
homo habilis
homo optimus
homo sapiens neanderthalensis
homo hybridus
homo cyberneticus
homo machinus
robotus multitudinus
robotus primus
Today
150 years
- 1.5M years
- 125,000 years
50 years
100 years
200 years
- 750,000 years
- 40,000 years
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Death -Under 30s may live forever

• Networked back-up
• Endless replicas of self
• Communication via emulators
• Upload into androids

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Technology interpretation

• Communal mind - good or bad?
• Karma by multiplication and diversification?
• Free will in a telepathic world?
• Implications of immortality
• Creation of superhuman beings
• Machine rights?

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Ubiquitous surveillance
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Non-geographic communities
Pressure groups Tribalism Cyberwars
Country A
Cybercountry X
Country B
Cybercountry Y
Country C
Cybercountry Z
Real World
Cyberspace
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Smart e-mail, distributed to 4Bn people in under
5 minutes

• Dear friend, the USA is destroying your
  environment through its reckless energy policy.
• To support pressurising the US government to
  reduce emissions, just hit the YES button. Your
  e-commerce preferences will automatically block
  purchases from the USA for a period of one month

Yes
No
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Direct action

• Developed world is immensely vulnerable to cyber
  attack

E-bombs Evolving viruses, trojans, worms
etc Embedded switches Information
waves Correlated traffic Emergent behaviours
Net based coordination Leaderless
communities Automated action Smart mail
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Education terminal 2003
Aerial
Cost approx 20 Symbiotic networking (free
calls) Solar powered (free energy) 2MB
memory 10MHz 32bit chip free net-based education
content
Hinged solar panel
Bi-stable display
Software configured LCD keypad
Speaker
Mic
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Thank you
ian.d.pearson_at_bt.com www.btinternet.com/ian.pear
son