Ira Sigman

2/24/17
Being Smart about Intelligence Research Proposal
My interests and hobbies have brought me to a research question which I have
found to be the subject of much modern and futuristic concern. I would like to explore the
viability of artificial intelligence and machine learning with respect to the economy, social
concerns, and moral recourse. Through my research, I hope to show a small indication of where
the world is headed in terms of information.
I will include some of my own personal experience in Artificial Intelligence as an
upcoming Masters student in the relevant field. I will simply the complex logic of what is
machine learning into laymans terms as to better relate to readers of all backgrounds. Any
oversimplifications made in this attempt will be highlighted with warning of its shortcomings.
But I will, to the best of my ability, show the inner workings of teaching something to learn.
The economic concerns I will address are:
1. The viability of machine learning processes to take over jobs beyond the simple
service and manufacturing sectors.
2. The implications for the tax bracketing system when many jobs are eliminated (some
estimates have full automation of relevant fields cutting the US labor force to only
30% of its population). (http://www.economist.com/news/special-report/21700758-
will-smarter-machines-cause-mass-unemployment-automation-and-anxiety)
3. What are the financial liability concerns for, say, an AI driver which gets in a car
crash? Who would be the responsible party?
The social concerns I will address are:
1. The ability of an AI or machine learning process to replace jobs which in the past
have been reliant on human interaction, such as nurses/doctors, bankers, and
salespeople.
2. What becomes of those whose jobs are eliminated by technological advancement? Do
their hardships fall on the wealth of the many?
3. What kind of jobs will be safe from automation? And what new fields will emerge
when so many are displaced.
The moral concerns I will be addressing are:
1. Just because we can make everything easier with AI, does that mean we should?
2. What are the limitations of what AI systems are willing to complete. Consider the
places where doctors are empowered to assist in suicide of terminal patients. Is
programming to handle life and death of human patients.
3. Implementation of Isaac Asimovs three rules of robotics.
In addition to exploring these questions I will delve into hypotheticals that may very well
hold a mirror up to the future of human society. It was Albert Einstein that said technology is
not inherently good or bad. His statement resonates with advancement if humans persist. There
is no invention or discovery that will be entirely good for society, there are two sides to every
coin.

List of Possible Sources (MLA Format): Alphabetical Order ****

1. Ghahramani, Zoubin. "Probabilistic Machine Learning and Artificial
Intelligence." Nature, vol. 521, no. 7553, 28 May 2015, pp. 452-459.
EBSCOhost, doi:10.1038/nature14541.
2. Catbas, F. Necati and Masoud Malekzadeh. "A Machine Learning-Based
Algorithm for Processing Massive Data Collected from the Mechanical
Components of Movable Bridges." Automation in Construction, vol. 72,
Dec2016 Part 3, pp. 269-278. EBSCOhost, doi:10.1016/j.autcon.2016.02.008.
3. Shinn, Sharon. "The Inhuman Touch: Educators Teach the Nuances of
Artificial Intelligence." Bized, vol. 16, no. 1, Jan/Feb2017, pp. 75-79.
EBSCOhost, search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?
direct=true&db=a9h&AN=120663181&site=ehost-live.
4. Kristin, Lee. "Artificial Intelligence, Automation, and the Economy." Chinese
American Forum, vol. 32, no. 3, Jan-Mar2017, pp. 22-23. EBSCOhost,
search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?
direct=true&db=a9h&AN=121366599&site=ehost-live.
5. Baum, Eric B. and Igor Durdanovic. "Evolution of Cooperative Problem
Solving in an Artificial Economy." Neural Computation, vol. 12, no. 12, Dec.
2000, pp. 2743-2775. EBSCOhost, doi:10.1162/089976600300014700

6. Rubin, Charles T. "Machine Morality and Human Responsibility." New

Atlantis: A Journal of Technology & Society, vol. 32, Summer2011, pp. 58-79.
EBSCOhost, search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?
direct=true&db=a9h&AN=89445478&site=ehost-live.

7. Davis, Ernest. "Ethical Guidelines for a Superintelligence." Artificial

Intelligence, vol. 220, Mar. 2015, pp. 121-124. EBSCOhost,
doi:10.1016/j.artint.2014.12.003.

8. https://qz.com/911968/bill-gates-the-robot-that-takes-your-job-should-pay-
taxes/

9. Chess Metaphors: Artificial Intelligence and the Human Mind (MIT Press)

10. http://www.sts.rpi.edu/~rsun/sun.clarion2005.pdf