Cambridge University Team Studies Threat of Human Extinction Due to Robot Uprising
You've probably heard the saying, "An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure," but did you ever equate it to being prepared for the inevitable robot uprising that will threaten the human race? Probably not, but that isn't stopping a group of Cambridge researchers from at least entertaining the idea.
"Many scientists are concerned that developments in human technology may soon pose new, extinction-level risks to our species as a whole. Such dangers have been suggested from progress in AI, from developments in biotechnology and artificial life, from nanotechnology, and from possible extreme effects of anthropogenic climate change. The seriousness of these risks is difficult to assess, but that in itself seems a cause for concern, given how much is at stake," scientists from the Centre for the Study of Existential Risk (CSER) posted on a website.
CSER is a joint initiative between a philosopher, scientist, and a software entrepreneur. If the three walked into a bar, it'd be the beginning of a joke, but there's no punchline here, nor do they see this as a laughing matter.
"Our goal is to steer a small fraction of Cambridge's great intellectual resources, and of the reputation built on its past and present scientific pre-eminence, to the task of ensuring that our own species has a long-term future," the researchers said.
This all sounds like a bad sci-fi flick in the making, but the threat of robot attack is precisely the reason why Old Glory Insurance exists. It kind of makes you wonder what Foxconn is really up to, doesn't it?
"Many scientists are concerned that developments in human technology may soon pose new, extinction-level risks to our species as a whole. Such dangers have been suggested from progress in AI, from developments in biotechnology and artificial life, from nanotechnology, and from possible extreme effects of anthropogenic climate change. The seriousness of these risks is difficult to assess, but that in itself seems a cause for concern, given how much is at stake," scientists from the Centre for the Study of Existential Risk (CSER) posted on a website.
CSER is a joint initiative between a philosopher, scientist, and a software entrepreneur. If the three walked into a bar, it'd be the beginning of a joke, but there's no punchline here, nor do they see this as a laughing matter.
"Our goal is to steer a small fraction of Cambridge's great intellectual resources, and of the reputation built on its past and present scientific pre-eminence, to the task of ensuring that our own species has a long-term future," the researchers said.
This all sounds like a bad sci-fi flick in the making, but the threat of robot attack is precisely the reason why Old Glory Insurance exists. It kind of makes you wonder what Foxconn is really up to, doesn't it?
