Artificial Intelligence, Are the Machines Taking over Essay

While a machine is just a machine made of metal, plastic, silicone and computer chips, it is only as smart as the human that programmed it right? The strides made thus far are only be the beginning of the huge impact and achievements of the computer revolution , and technological advances are creating machines, usually computers that are able to make seemingly intelligent decisions, or act as if possessing intelligence of a human scale. It is only a matter of time before we live in a world of robots that serve humans as portrayed in the 20th Century Fox movie â€Å"I Robot†, because researchers are creating systems which can mimic human thought, understand speech and even play games with us. As our minds evolve, so does our imagination and the creations we come up with. Artificial intelligence may have been first imagined as an attempt at replicating our own intelligence, but the possibilities of achieving true artificial intelligence is closer than any of us have imagined. Computers, when first invented were fast at computing data, but now they communicate and calculate data much faster than most human beings, but still have difficult fulfilling certain functions such as pattern recognition. Today, research in artificial intelligence is advancing rapidly, and many people feel threatened by the possibility of a robot taking over their job, leaving human beings without work. When computers were first developed in the 1950’s, the hype about how machines could think like human beings took the scientific world by storm, but the truth of the matter was that computers were very slow, and not capable of what inventors thought they could be. A few years later, an IBM computer defeated world chess champion Gary Kasparov at a game of chess and the hype was reborn. People immediately believed that computers would take over the world and robots would be here to stay. When thinking of Artificial  Intelligence (AI), we have to look at what is considered both strong AI and weak AI. Strong AI makes the bold claim that computers can be made to think on a level at least equal to humans; that they are capable of cognitive mental states. This is the kind of AI that is portrayed in movies like â€Å"I Robot†. What this means is that the computer thinks and reasons like a human being. This then becomes the human-like AI. Also a form of strong AI is the non-human like AI in which computer program develops a totally non-human sentience, and a non-human way of thinking and reasoning. Weak AI simply states that some â€Å"thinking-like† features can be added to computers to make them more useful tools; that machines can simulate human cognition, in other words act as if they are intelligent. This has already started to happen, for example, speech recognition software. Much of the focus during the development of AI research draws from an experimental approach to psychology, looking at things such as mood and personality and emphasizes what may be called linguistic intelligence. In an article from the University of Zurich titled â€Å"Experimental Standards in Research on AI and Humor when Considering Psychology† Laughter is a significant feature of human communication, and machines acting in roles like companions or tutors should not be blind to it. So far, the progress has been limited that allows computer-based applications to deal with laughter and its recognition in the human user. In consequence, only few interactive multimodal systems exist that utilizes laughter in interaction† (Platt et Al 2012). Laughter is partly a contribution to moods in human beings and in research this is just one element that is being attempted to be recreated in AI. â€Å"Understanding the psychological impact of the interface between computer and human allows for the evaluation of the AI’s success† (Platt et Al 2012). Linguistic intelligence is best explained or shown in the Turing test. Named for Alan Turing who in 1937, being one of the â€Å"first people to consider the philosophical implications of intelligent machines† (Bowles 2010), the Turning test was designed to â€Å"prove whether or not a computer was intelligent† (Bowles 2010). The test consisted of a judge having a conversation with both a person and a computer, both hidden behind curtains to determine the difference between the person and the computer. If the determination could not be made then the computer was considered to be intelligent. â€Å"The Turing Test became a founding concept in the philosophy of artificial intelligence â€Å"(Bowles 2010). AI development also draws information and theories from animal studies, specifically with insects. By studying insects, it has been shown that insect movements are easier to emulate with robots that those movements of humans. It has also been argued that animals, also simpler than humans should be easy to mimic as well, however insect study has proven to be more productive. Practical applications of such computers with artificial intelligence could really be endless in the world. One such application was presented in 1997 with the creation of Deep Blue a chess playing computer by IBM. In that same year, â€Å"Deep Blue was able to beat Garry Kasparov, the world’s highest ranking chess player, in a series of six matches† (Bowles 2010). Deep Blue was a highly powerful computer that was programmed to solve the complex, strategic game of chess. But IBM’s goal behind Deep Blue was a much grander challenge. Other applications include optical character recognition such as that in a license plate reader that is used on police cars. License Plate Reading (LPR) Technology uses specialized cameras and computers to quickly capture large numbers of photographs of license plates, convert them to text and compare them quickly to a large list of plates of interest. LPR systems can identify a target plate within seconds of contact with it, allowing law enforcement to identify target vehicles that might otherwise be overlooked. This technology is not only used for locating violators of registration and licensing laws but also for the use of Amber Alerts when children are abducted and the vehicle plate that the perpetrator is operating is known. Another widely known practical application that many people of the world know and use is speech recognition such as â€Å"siri† of the Apple IPhone fame. This type of software is designed to learn how the operator speaks and from listening to a sample of the operator’s voice can determine whether to call â€Å"home† or â€Å"work† just by saying the command. Despite the conflicting opinions on the whether human beings will be successful in creating an artificial intelligence, the possibility is very real and must be considered from both ethical and philosophical perspectives. Substantial thought must be given not only to if human beings can create an AI, but if they should create an AI. Certainly we have crossed over the question of â€Å"if we should create AI† and in some forms it does exist today. Isaac Asimov wrote, in his book â€Å"I Robot† in 1923 the â€Å"Three Rules of Robotics† which are as follows: â€Å"1. A robot may not injure a human being or, through inaction, allow a human being to come to harm; 2. A robot must obey the orders given it by human beings except where such orders would conflict with the First Law; 3. A robot must protect its own existence as long as such protection does not conflict with the First or Second Laws† (Bowles 2010). The legal and ethical dimensions of AI are strongly linked. Scientists and researchers argue that ethical considerations, such as making sure AI is programmed to act in an ethical way, making sure the ethics of people who design and use AI technology are sound, and ensuring people treat AI agents (robots) in an ethical manner are increasingly being seen in terms of legal responsibilities. If self-aware AI agents do indeed become more ubiquitous in the future, legal theory provides the framework for considering responsibility and agency. There are those who argue that these agents will need to have legal rights, the more they become advanced. Questions are being asked such as, should AI agents be given partial responsibility for their actions? Another consideration is how responsibility is transferred between humans and AI agents. This thought process consists of us considering how to prevent humans from unjustly attributing responsibility for their actions onto AI agents or deciding whether to charge an AI agent’s programmer or owner with negligence if an AI agent causes damage or breaks the law. Most of us have seen the movie, â€Å"I Robot† from 20th Century Fox. The lead robot in the movie â€Å"Sonny† was designed to look and move like a human. Will Smith’s character even asks then question â€Å"why do you give them faces†. There have already been great strides in producing a computer that is faster than the human brain and for that matter much more accurate as well. There are robots that exist today, not that they could walk down the street and not be noticed or pointed out as a robot because of their movements, but they do exist and they do function based on their programming. In conclusion, we are seeing more and more technology that is making our lives easier. From our cell phone assistants such as â€Å"Siri†, to our Unmanned Ariel Vehicles (UAV’s) that are not only saving pilots but also saving the need to put boots on the ground. These machines or agents are just that, machines right? They are made of metal, plastic, silicone and computer chips. If I tell a UAV to turn left it will listen, right? I don’t believe that the machines are taking over just yet, but with computers such as â€Å"Deep Blue† being the founding father of AI, and human curiosity to see if true AI can be created the possibility exists.

Differences Between the Early English Settlers and Native Americans Essay

The indigenous people of North America and Europe are both very different cultures with very different beliefs and ideas. As the Europeans began to colonize North America, these differences between these cultures really impacted the events of this time. The most important difference is the ideas on land use and ownership. Other important differences include religion and the ideas of gender roles. The biggest difference between of the Native Americans and the European immigrants is the issue of land use and ownership. Native Americans believed that land was sacred, and that nature needed to be cared for. They also did not value land ownership, all of the tribes land and belongings were shared. The idea of ownership here was not commonly used. On the other end of the spectrum, the Europeans had beliefs very different from the Native Americans. One of the main reasons the Europeans came to the New World in the first place was to become wealthy! To the Europeans at the time, land ownership meant freedom, wealth and a higher social status. Land was passed down from generation to generation. Because of this, the Europeans and the Native Americans ideology on land use and ownership created quite a culture clash that we still see remnants of today. Another difference between the Native American culture and the Europeans was the religion of these two cultures. Europeans were predominantly Christian, while the natives believed in numerous spirits and Gods. The indigenous people in North America had separate spirits for corn, the sun and things of that nature. While Christians are monotheists. The Europeans thought that the natives were savages for worshipping wooden figurines and carvings. The Europeans tried to convert as many natives as possible, especially the Spanish. Because of these differences in religion, the Europeans and the Native Americans had a difficult time really seeing eye to eye. The third difference between the in indigenous people of North America and the Europeans is the matter of gender roles. The native women in these tribes held high positions, many making important decisions for the tribe. The family tree would also follow the females side, as opposed to the family line following the males in the European cultures. To the Europeans, females gave birth and did chores in the home. They were not nearly as powerful as some women in native tribes. When the Europeans noticed how strong the women were along with the men, they fought the natives into submission. In conclusion, it is plain to see that there are so many differences between the Native American culture and that of the Europeans. A few examples of differences is the ideas on land use and ownership, religion and gender roles. The most impactful difference was the ideas each culture had on land use and ownership. These differences were very influential on the events that occurred during this time, and we still see some of these differences impact us today.

How basketball taught me hard work and discipline Essay

Self-Presentation General purpose: how basketball taught me hard work and discipline Specific purpose: hard work can help achieve anything Thesis statement through basketball I learned how to work hard and discipline myself to achieve my goals in life My passion for the basketball started when I was in my second year of high school, basketball not only helped me grow but also taught me a lot of things that I use in my everyday life. My passion for the game began during my last year of middle school, but despite trying out for the middle school team I was not chosen to be a part of it. Although this was of great disappointment to me, it did not deter me from my love of the game. It made me more driven and determined to work hard during the summer prior to entering high school to ensure that I was in a position to try-out for the high school freshman team. I practiced morning, noon and night in 90 degree heat, perfecting my shot and working out to improve my skills. This hard work paid off, when I was chosen to be a part of the freshman team and I have continued to work hard during my high school years to be an asset to the varsity team. I feel sure that this experience of being a part of the high school basketball team has helped me become successful in my academic life. Being part of a team has instilled in me the responsibilities and work ethic that carries over into other aspects of my life and I feel sure that this will be extremely valuable in my future endeavors at the University. And really more precisely on hard work, there is a saying that â€Å"hard work beats talent, when talent fails to work hard.† I believe this because to me it means that no matter how good you are if you don’t work hard, your talent is nothing. If Michael Jordan had not believed in working hard then he would not have been anywhere near as good as he is today. You do not only need to work hard in sports in the classroom, and life in general. Working hard in the classroom will give you many advantages later in life. That way you can get into a good college, and get a good job later in life. In all this experience, the greatest thing I learn is that hard work pays off, Although the above experience and accomplishment of being chosen to be a part of a team has contributed and shaped the person I am today.

At&T Wireless: Text Messaging Essay

1. Describe the cost behavior in the wireless industry. What are the implications of this cost behavior for cost-volume-profit (CVP) relationships? The term cost behavior is used to describe whether a cost changes as output changes. In this case the costs are tightly shielded. In order to describe the cost behavior of the industry, we have to study the process that results in cost incurrence. Based on the information in the AT&T case, the industry features a high proportion of fixed costs in relation to acquiring spectrum and building a network. Variable costs are relatively low and, in the case of text messages, are very low. The cost structure in the wireless industry is dominated by fixed costs, so the contribution margin ratio is high. The high fixed costs and large contribution margin ratio result in a relatively high percentage increase in profit. The greater the proportion of fixed costs in a firm’s cost structure, the greater the impact on profit will be from a given percentage change in sales. The wireless industry has high operating leverage, because of high fixed costs and low variable costs. Therefore, the industry has a high ability to generate an increase in net income when sales revenue increases. â€Å"Text messages did not use any extra spectrum – once the carrier had paid the cost of the underlying infrastructure and storage equipment. Any revenue received by the provider on incremental text message usage is almost pure profit†. So, we can assume that, the cost does not change as the output changes. As far as I understand, the costs are incurred when the message is actually sent, and all these cost are very low. 2. What are the key cost drivers? Can a cost driver be used to continually raise prices? Cost drivers 1. Number of text messages per minute 2. Number of cell towers per area covered 3. Number of databases needed for a certain volume of messages 4. Number of customers 5. Number of cell phone plans 6. Number of terabytes 7. Number of devices The choice of the cost driver in this industry is not obvious, and the cost behavior pattern can depend on the cost driver selected. In this case the key cost driver is the number of text messages sent/received per minute. Yes and No. It depends on the cost behavior of the business. If the business has high variable costs and low fixed costs then the organization is more effected by a change in the volume. If the business, like in AT&T’s case, has a high rate of fixed costs with minimal variable costs (we assume that they are at the low end of the range of volume per fixed costs because their profit margin is high) then a change in volume will have little to no effect on the actual costs incurred. 3. What does it cost AT&T to send a text message?[Consider costs of the channel, billing cost, storage cost] Based on this cost, what is AT&T’s profit margin as a percentage of its text messaging business? [Consider per-use pricing and package pricing]How strong a relationship should exist? In Plan Channel cost$.0008641 (.07/81) = using voice messages as a reference which cost $.07 cents a minute. There are 81 text messages/minute transmitted per channel. Billing cost .0017283 (.0008641 x 2) = assume billing costs are twice as much as wireless costs Data base cost.0002857 (10M/35B) = AT&T would carry approximately 1% of worldwide text traffic of 3.5 trillion (35B) in their database which costs ~ 10 million dollars Storage cost .0000003837 (13,430/35B) = Worldwide text storage is 1,343 terabytes. AT&T would carry 1% of this storage =  13.43 terabytes. Cost of storage is $1,000 x 13.43 = $13,430. To get the per text cost divide this by 35B. Total cost per text$.002878 Gross Profit Margin = Gross Profit divided by total revenue $.20 per messageplan of $5 for 200 messagesplan of $15 for 1500 messages (.20 – .00278)/.20(.025-.002878)/.025 (.01 – .002878)/.01 =99%= 88%= 71% 4. How strong a relationship should exist between the prices charged to a customer for a good or service and the cost of providing that good or service? We think that companies should calculate their break-even point for their goods and services and to charge the prices according to that figure. This way, they can make sure that their price covers their expenses. In case of AT&T’s text messaging they are charging much more than the cost. But because there are only four national carriers in United States and they control 90 percent of the market, and text messaging had become widely popular, they can afford high prices. They are considering the demand of the service and pricing the product according to demand and supply. 5. Why is the price that AT&T charges to transmit a kilobyte of data via text message so much higher than the price charged to transmit a kilobyte of data via a Smartphone? The fastest growing wireless industry is text messaging. This also reflects the earlier comment that demand for messaging far exceeds supply, therefore driving prices up. Even though it costs less to transmit a text message than data, it is still seen as a very low cost to the average customer. The customer feels like they are getting a good deal because they are using the text messaging more than the data messaging. Part of the wireless industries revenue is from the sale of the devices. Even the cheapest cell phones have the capability to send text messages. Since the company is not making as much of a profit off of the device (cell phone), they are making up the difference in charging more for the text messages. In addition, since voice  messaging is being replaced by data messaging, both text and email, almost all cell phone chains are developing their own version of an IPhone or smart phone. To compete with these other chains, AT&T must charge the lowest price possible for their data to entice customers to buy their products over the competitors. 6. As we move to a service economy, can we expect to have more or fewer businesses with cost behaviors similar to those in the text messaging sector? Explain. I would assume we would see more businesses with cost behaviors similar to the text messaging sector. The reason being is the service industry tends to have more fixed costs that don’t increase linearly with the increase in service. The fixed costs tend to be step-fixed costs, whereas they can maintain services within a certain range up to a point in which they have to increase the fixed costs. The variable costs tend to be minimal since they often don’t have the manufacturing costs of direct materials and direct labor. After a service industry covers the basic operations, less money is needed as sales rise. Once the fixed costs are paid, the expense of processing additional sales is so little that the profits will grow faster than the revenues. The precedence has already been set in multiple service organizations, particularly internet companies. They have shown that once you achieve the hurdle of covering your basic fixed costs, the increased volume of service is very profitable. 7. What should management of wireless firms seek to do now? AT&T should invest in improving the company‘s wireless broadband coverage and its performance. They can improve network coverage by adding cell towers, laying faster fiber-optic cabling, adding capacity to cell sites and upgrading current cell sites to improve internet speeds. By enhancing the network, they can carry a larger volume of data traffic. This will allow them to accommodate more customers and therefore increase their profits.

Give an account of how you would prepare and deliver an effective oral Essay

Give an account of how you would prepare and deliver an effective oral presentation in which you are required to explain some key ideas of either a) jean Baudrillard or b) Michel Foucault - Essay Example city introduced a great deal of change in the society at a drastic rate, as well as in every aspect of the human life or observation over a short period of time. Postmodernism and Foucault have become such integrally related terms that none can exist without the other. Due to this reason it is essential for us to understand what actually postmodernism means. In his philosophical reflection Foucault has deconstructed all the conceived notions about human existence by penetrating within the layers of people’s intellectual capacity. At the same time, through such process, he also has attempted to explore whether there is any existence of Truth at the philosophical and spiritual level of human existence. The term Postmodernism is used most frequently in the cultural, philosophical and literary domain of today’s world. According to social observers the Western civilization and its cultural outlook are experiencing a change. This changing or the process of transition is known as the shifting from modernism to postmodernism. Though postmodernism is one of the most interesting field of study and research these days, but there is no such definition that can actually define postmodernism in the complete sense. One hand, it is quite difficult to provide proper description of the periods when the transitions are happening and on the other hand it is also not possible to figure out properly the main signs of postmodernism. Perhaps it is in the 30s, when the first time the term postmodernism was used. During this time postmodernism actually referred to change in historical spectrum of the Western world as well as certain changes that became conspicuous in the prevailing Art forms. It i s the 1970s, when postmodernism drew huge attention from scholars in every field. In his book, A Primer on Postmodernism, the author Stanley J. Grenz has commented about prevailing influence of postmodernism, â€Å"First it denoted a new style of architecture. Then it invaded academic circles,

EIP assignment shopaholic Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

EIP shopaholic - Assignment Example Contemporary culture manifests a shopaholic as a maniac whose behavior is irrational. The research seeks to find out whether a shopaholic is really an irrational character. This is possible through examining the factors that re responsible for the making of a shopaholic. Since this is a social issue, the research shall only deal with secondary data. This is because secondary data is highly likely to employ qualitative analysis in assessing such a phenomenon. This occurs because such an issue requires multiple perspectives in drawing a conclusion. Secondary data, in this sense, traverses articles and books assessing the issue in terms of sociological, economical, business, and psychological perspectives. Secondary data will seek to inform the audience whether excessive shopping is a natural behavior or whether the same is an irrational habit. In turn, the data analysis shall occur qualitatively. This book seeks to analyze the predispositions for shopping as well as provide solutions for the behavior. In this sense, the author examines compulsive buying as a problem rather than as a mere phenomenon. The author explains shopping mania as a habit that develops to cure a different psychological need rather arise to satisfy the actual need of shopping. The text, therefore, manifests over-shopping as a means of distracting oneself from dealing with an essential emotional need such as love. Alternatively, it could be a means of gaining the attention of others if the involved person feels that others do not care about one. Besides, over-shopping could be a product of low self-esteem if the victim engages in impulsive purchases to feel important about oneself (Benson 14). The book, therefore, recommends mindful shopping as a means of countering this problem. It highlights the essence of financial security as a means of leading an enjoyable life in the end. The book entails the philo sophical arguments of merging the

Gender Preference in Nursing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Gender Preference in Nursing - Essay Example Descriptive (frequencies, means and SD) and nonparametric inferential statistics (Spearman correlation, Kruskal–Wallis test, chi-square and Mann–Whitney U-test – large sample z approximation) were performed on the data collected from the questionnaires. All data were handled using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) Version 6†¢1 for the Macintosh. A result was accepted as significant if the probability level was This form of statistical analysis was implemented because it was the most practical for this type of research study. The analysis of variance model (or "ANOVA model") examines the association between nominal predictor variables (e.g., gender, experimental condition, whether or not treatment was received or not) and a continuous outcome variable (e.g., depression, health quality of life). The predictor variables are sometimes called "factors" or "independent variables." The outcome variable may be also referred to as the "dependent variable." The ANOVA model is a univariate model, in that interest is in how the predictors affect a single outcome variable. (Chur-Henson) Using the results that were obtained through this type of statistical analysis revealed that in both 1984 and 2000, no effects due to the respondent answering the nurse or doctor items first was found. Nor did the time or day on which the questionnaire was completed have any bearing on answers.