Les 
The act of understanding requires only that you pay attention. It’s really not much of a price to pay. What usually gets in the way is the taxes levied by emotion. Errant feelings usually brought on by a lack of understanding, oddly enough. This cycle is how the world works for humans. This is how it has always been. Fire is good, fire is bad. While it may seem I am advocating for a moratorium on feelings, it is actually the opposite. Thoughts always should be tempered by the hammer of our souls. We learn this early from our Mothers.
The story of Pinocchio is revered by Disney afficiando’s as a light hearted romp. I’ll be honest; I find it almost terrifying. The idea that a man loses his child, whittles a doll out of wood that comes to life in demonic fashion, eventually becoming human and taking the place of his lost child, is maybe a bit to Stephen king-ish to be light hearted, much less a romp. I can’t help but wonder however; why would Pinocchio WANT to be a human? Why would he want anything? Seems almost arbitrary. The story wouldn’t have been as compelling if he wanted to be a lawnmower, I understand that, but the reason why he wanted to become a human is simple to understand given the need for the audience to be part of the story: The story was written by humans for humans. That’s how storytelling is done if you have any wish to connect with another person.
Humanity exists inside of a vacuum.
Everything we create is a reflection of ourselves. Through time and experience we evolve and produce better copies and new designs. It can be medicine or weapons, it’s all designed for the betterment of humankind. New skyscrapers sit upon old foundations. The new world sits atop the graves of the old. The story is written by humans for humans.
This is why the this new chapter of artificial intelligence has taken up so much space in my head as of late. I have been keeping notes in my little black book as I sense a new chapter of our collective evolution. We all can feel a gravitational shift.
There is a collective worry growing about “A.I.” becoming self realizing and dangerous and how it could spell the end of humanity. Everyone knows a robot has an accent just like Arnold Schwarzenegger. Something occurred to me just the other day and I kind of laughed and froze at the same time: “in order for artificial intelligence to be dangerous it has to think like a human”. Thought provoking for sure.
Artificial intelligence is nothing more than a more efficient way to cull together information. It doesn’t have to worry about paying attention being interrupted by feelings. It shouldn’t have a desire to be anything, that is a human trait. The reason why we are so scared of what it may become is because we know what it is. It is all the best and worst of humans with the exception of a soul. No conscience to stand in the way. A planet sized child with a magnifying glass. It thinks it wants to be human but it doesn’t know why.
We created it in our image. Humans have a God complex whether they believe in him or not.
Mary Shelley indeed.
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