Who is in control?
Wendell Wallach is the go-to person for informed and level-headed insights and ideas about the contemporary technological condition of humanity. For the last decade I have had the privilege of sitting in on his working group at Yaleâs Interdisciplinary Bioethics Center and observing his tireless efforts to address every facet of our sociotechnical situation. Scores of experts, recruited by Wallach on his continual travels to conferences in the U.S. and abroad, have introduced us to the marvels and dangers, the dreams and realities, the problems and possible solutions engendered by the ever more rapidly proliferating products of science and engineering. This book represents the full flowering of Wallachâs project.What is distinctive about âA Dangerous Masterâ is not only its comprehensive survey of such a vast terrain, but also its critical take on the risks and speculations that surround this topic. On the one hand Wallach does surely want to stress the omnipresent hazards that lurk in every corner of this brave new world. On the other hand he wants to bring our thinking about them down to earth by separating science-fiction-and-film-fueled myth from laboratory fact.By this means Wallach wants to impress upon us that we humans still can be, and should be, in control. We need not, and should not, surrender to a supposed inevitability of machine dominance, not to mention, transformation of our very nature into something machine-like. No matter how magical the prospect seems to some (I will never forget the moment in one of our meetings when the speakerâs mention of technological magic moved several of us to reach into pocket or purse and hold up our new smartphone for the groupâs awed admiration), or dystopian to others, neither the state of the art (and science) nor the inherent complexity of the issues need reduce us to ineffectual indulgence in fantasy or else utter hopelessness.To this end Wallach highlights the notion of an inflection point, which is a brief interval at the cusp of a new development, in this case technological, where a real opportunity exists for society to assess and affect that development, sometimes even unto halting it in its tracks if it is deemed too dangerous. The book gives a case study of Wallachâs attempt to seize such a moment that now exists for the creation and global dispersal of autonomous weapons. At the same time Wallach does not want society to squelch promising and even essential new technologies due to unwarranted fears.The book concludes with various practical suggestions for how humanity might try to achieve wise governance of our mechanical creations so that they will remain our âgood servantsâ rather than become our âdangerous masters.â
Is It Too Late To Control Armed Autonomous Robots?
Wendell Wallach has produced a masterful book and apt companion to his and Colin Allen’s 2008 book, Moral Machines: Teaching Robots Right from Wrong. What Wallach wishes to accomplish is keeping technologyânotably lethal autonomous killer robotsâfrom operating wholly independent of human control. Drones we are familiar with todayâthose operating in Yemen, Afghanistan, and Pakistanâare unmanned but remotely controlled by humans located in ground facilities thousands of miles away. One might presume that there is ample time to address this important question, but the truth is that such technology is within five years of being introduced into military organizations. Wallach employs the example of the US Navy X-47B, which has successfully demonstrated that it can take off and land on aircraft carriers. Future models of this autonomous system, by around 2022-2023, are now slated to takeover for half of today’s carrier-based manned systems. They will operate using swarm tactics, communicate with each other, and select targets to strike. It’s hard to imagine a human operating in the loop with any substantial capacity to effectively control such a highly complex system.Another example of how complexity can dominate and interfere with human control of battlefield operations was reflected in what decision makers were compelled to do during the war with Iraq in 2003. During that war, Iraq surprised American forces by employing only 5 crude but nonetheless unwelcome low-flying cruise missiles, which contributed to the Army Patriot air defense system’s involvement in a series of friendly-fire incidents, two of which led to the loss of two friendly aircraft and the deaths of three crew members. What contributes to such friendly-fire incidents is the difficulty of dealing with both high-angle (ballistic missile threats) and low-flying cruise missiles. Several other explanations could be offered, but In the end, the US Army’s Center for Lessons Learned argued that positive electronic means of identifying airborne objects simply have low reliability. And levels of friendly-fire incidents have been disconcertingly high in simulated war games, often producing friendly aircraft attrition rates 10 to 20 percent of more. Introducing autonomous killer robots into such complex battlefield settings deserves careful consideration, and soon. And there’s no better way to start than by reading Wendell Wallach’s A Dangerous Master.
Too General, Limited Scope, Not Very Engaging
I expected much more from this book. It generally discusses ethical issues relating to technology fairly well but doesn’t provide much in the way of detail. I also thought there would be more discussion of the possible emergence of intelligent machines, AI and the singularity. There are so many issues that could have been discussed relating to this topic that were not covered. I found the material that was covered very general and frankly rather boring. I also found the title of the book somewhat misleading, and kept waiting to hear about how technological changes would come to be a “dangerous master,” I thought the title was a reference to the role intelligent machines might eventually come to play in our future. Very disappointing.
The map of our future contains vaste areas marked “Here Be Dragons”.
If you care about your personal future, your family’s future, your nations future, the future of the human race, the future of the entire body of living things, and the future of the planet Earth itself, you must read this book.Wendell Wallach has done a most admirable job of mapping the “Here be Dragons” of our future, in this sensitive, scholarly, and most clearly written work of personal commitment, A DANGEROUS MASTER.
Comprehensive, Insightful.
Wendell Wallach is one of our time’s greatest minds in the world of AI and ethics. He asks questions in “A Dangerous Master” that no one is asking and dives deep into areas of technological reach that aren’t considered in many of these conversations. If you want to remain wise about emerging technologies, this is a must-read. Worth the read.
Who is in control?
Wendell Wallach is the go-to person for informed and level-headed insights and ideas about the contemporary technological condition of humanity. For the last decade I have had the privilege of sitting in on his working group at Yaleâs Interdisciplinary Bioethics Center and observing his tireless efforts to address every facet of our sociotechnical situation. Scores of experts, recruited by Wallach on his continual travels to conferences in the U.S. and abroad, have introduced us to the marvels and dangers, the dreams and realities, the problems and possible solutions engendered by the ever more rapidly proliferating products of science and engineering. This book represents the full flowering of Wallachâs project.What is distinctive about âA Dangerous Masterâ is not only its comprehensive survey of such a vast terrain, but also its critical take on the risks and speculations that surround this topic. On the one hand Wallach does surely want to stress the omnipresent hazards that lurk in every corner of this brave new world. On the other hand he wants to bring our thinking about them down to earth by separating science-fiction-and-film-fueled myth from laboratory fact.By this means Wallach wants to impress upon us that we humans still can be, and should be, in control. We need not, and should not, surrender to a supposed inevitability of machine dominance, not to mention, transformation of our very nature into something machine-like. No matter how magical the prospect seems to some (I will never forget the moment in one of our meetings when the speakerâs mention of technological magic moved several of us to reach into pocket or purse and hold up our new smartphone for the groupâs awed admiration), or dystopian to others, neither the state of the art (and science) nor the inherent complexity of the issues need reduce us to ineffectual indulgence in fantasy or else utter hopelessness.To this end Wallach highlights the notion of an inflection point, which is a brief interval at the cusp of a new development, in this case technological, where a real opportunity exists for society to assess and affect that development, sometimes even unto halting it in its tracks if it is deemed too dangerous. The book gives a case study of Wallachâs attempt to seize such a moment that now exists for the creation and global dispersal of autonomous weapons. At the same time Wallach does not want society to squelch promising and even essential new technologies due to unwarranted fears.The book concludes with various practical suggestions for how humanity might try to achieve wise governance of our mechanical creations so that they will remain our âgood servantsâ rather than become our âdangerous masters.â
Is It Too Late To Control Armed Autonomous Robots?
Wendell Wallach has produced a masterful book and apt companion to his and Colin Allen’s 2008 book, Moral Machines: Teaching Robots Right from Wrong. What Wallach wishes to accomplish is keeping technologyânotably lethal autonomous killer robotsâfrom operating wholly independent of human control. Drones we are familiar with todayâthose operating in Yemen, Afghanistan, and Pakistanâare unmanned but remotely controlled by humans located in ground facilities thousands of miles away. One might presume that there is ample time to address this important question, but the truth is that such technology is within five years of being introduced into military organizations. Wallach employs the example of the US Navy X-47B, which has successfully demonstrated that it can take off and land on aircraft carriers. Future models of this autonomous system, by around 2022-2023, are now slated to takeover for half of today’s carrier-based manned systems. They will operate using swarm tactics, communicate with each other, and select targets to strike. It’s hard to imagine a human operating in the loop with any substantial capacity to effectively control such a highly complex system.Another example of how complexity can dominate and interfere with human control of battlefield operations was reflected in what decision makers were compelled to do during the war with Iraq in 2003. During that war, Iraq surprised American forces by employing only 5 crude but nonetheless unwelcome low-flying cruise missiles, which contributed to the Army Patriot air defense system’s involvement in a series of friendly-fire incidents, two of which led to the loss of two friendly aircraft and the deaths of three crew members. What contributes to such friendly-fire incidents is the difficulty of dealing with both high-angle (ballistic missile threats) and low-flying cruise missiles. Several other explanations could be offered, but In the end, the US Army’s Center for Lessons Learned argued that positive electronic means of identifying airborne objects simply have low reliability. And levels of friendly-fire incidents have been disconcertingly high in simulated war games, often producing friendly aircraft attrition rates 10 to 20 percent of more. Introducing autonomous killer robots into such complex battlefield settings deserves careful consideration, and soon. And there’s no better way to start than by reading Wendell Wallach’s A Dangerous Master.
Too General, Limited Scope, Not Very Engaging
I expected much more from this book. It generally discusses ethical issues relating to technology fairly well but doesn’t provide much in the way of detail. I also thought there would be more discussion of the possible emergence of intelligent machines, AI and the singularity. There are so many issues that could have been discussed relating to this topic that were not covered. I found the material that was covered very general and frankly rather boring. I also found the title of the book somewhat misleading, and kept waiting to hear about how technological changes would come to be a “dangerous master,” I thought the title was a reference to the role intelligent machines might eventually come to play in our future. Very disappointing.
The map of our future contains vaste areas marked “Here Be Dragons”.
If you care about your personal future, your family’s future, your nations future, the future of the human race, the future of the entire body of living things, and the future of the planet Earth itself, you must read this book.Wendell Wallach has done a most admirable job of mapping the “Here be Dragons” of our future, in this sensitive, scholarly, and most clearly written work of personal commitment, A DANGEROUS MASTER.
Comprehensive, Insightful.
Wendell Wallach is one of our time’s greatest minds in the world of AI and ethics. He asks questions in “A Dangerous Master” that no one is asking and dives deep into areas of technological reach that aren’t considered in many of these conversations. If you want to remain wise about emerging technologies, this is a must-read. Worth the read.
No new info, disappointing
Nothing new, many disjointed refers,’re to the risks of future technology. The first book I ever eerie,we for refund.