What's ahead...and who's responsible?

 

By Mary Reiman

“We are all blind on some level to our own moral formation, the factors that shape our ethical selves.”

Sometimes a book is recommended just when I need it…or when I need to learn something. That happened to me this month. Thanks to Cindy and Denise, I read Culpability. Culpability: the responsibility for wrongdoing or failure. Another one of those words I doubt I have ever used, can hardly spell, and does not roll off my tongue when trying to tell someone what I am reading. Written by Bruce Holsinger, it is realistic fiction. Too realistic.

Capturing my attention on the first page:

“And this, I propose, is the inhuman soul of the algorithm. It may think for us, it may work for us, it may organize our lives for us. But the algorithm will never bleed for us. The algorithm will never suffer for us. The algorithm will never mourn for us. In this refusal lies the essence of its moral being.” 

Now that’s the way to entice this reader to continue reading! 

Throughout the story, I was reminded of the often-used phrase…who’s responsible? With every news report, it seems more and more we ask ourselves that question.

In this novel we are led to question who caused the accident. The detectives analyzed the DVF (Digital Vehicle Forensics). DVF is the feature on many new vehicles which tracks movements in the vehicle as well as the driver’s reactions.

What did each family member see, or what do we think they saw, when they were gazing out the window driving down the highway? Maybe they weren’t gazing out the window. Maybe they were texting, playing games on their phones, writing emails, or sleeping. 

Autonomous cars, as well as drones, are designed and programmed to take into account an amazingly great number of scenarios based on the question…what if? 

If all goes awry, if there is an accident, who is responsible? Who do we blame?  The driver? The owner of the driverless automobile? Or the designer of the algorithm who created the driverless automobile? 

“We must always take responsibility for our own mistakes. Yet in this new age of intelligent machines, we must also take responsibility for theirs.”

Have you noticed that a response from AI is now the first result whenever we ask Google a question. I asked: What is Artificial Intelligence? The answer: Artificial intelligence (AI) is the simulation of human intelligence in machines, enabling them to perform tasks like learning, reasoning, and problem-solving. AI systems, such as machine learning and deep learning models, learn from data to recognize patterns and make decisions, rather than relying on explicit programming. AI is already a part of everyday life.

Do we hold AI accountable if the answer given doesn't give us a solution to our problem? Or if it’s the wrong solution. Will we now begin blaming AI for everything? We seem to be living in a blaming society. Blaming…and then firing, or getting rid of the people who don't agree with you. 

And drones, who is using them and for what purpose? Yes, there have been various types of drones in our skies for many years. 

The AI overview from Google, when asked if a drone is an example of AI? Drones increasingly utilize Artificial Intelligence (AI) for various functionalities. AI enhances drone capabilities in areas like navigation, obstacle avoidance, object recognition, and autonomous decision-making. This integration allows for more sophisticated and efficient drone operations across diverse applications, from industrial inspections to delivery services.

This week Elon Musk filed an antitrust lawsuit against Apple and OpenAI alleging the two companies are teaming up to eliminate competition in artificial intelligence. Also, we learned about a Lincoln business, Drone Amplified, that is working to stop wildfires. 

Every day we see another use of AI and/or drones. Do we have a love/hate relationship with them? 

I want to blame some type of artificial intelligence for everything….

Is AI ordering a review of the historical exhibits from the Smithsonian Museums? 

Did AI recommend that McCook, Nebraska be the site of an immigration detention camp?

Did AI suggest that women should not have the right to vote?

Whose drone is in the air? Are they watching us? If so, why?

Culpability is also woven into this family’s story by questioning the responsibilities of parents, the interactions of family, and the question of obligations and secrets. “A secret can be more wounding than a lie.” 

Recent news reports indicate teens are turning to AI for friendship, as reported in the Lincoln Journal Star on July 26th. Do parents have conversations with their children about 'digital friends'?

What would we do to save our children? How many safety protocols should be in place? How do we even define ‘safety protocols’ in today’s world? 

Three of my great nephews are students at a Catholic elementary school. Their ages are 11, 8 and 6. They are boys filled with joy and innocence and goodness. I think of them often, but differently this week. Like all of us, I worry.

How do we hold ourselves accountable and take action against the many atrocities of each day? 

What’s ahead…and who's responsible?