Lugh

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This article references Britain, but I think many of its points make sense with reference to other western economies.

The author is Chris Dillow

https://www.theguardian.com/profile/chris-dillow

[–] Lugh@futurology.today 4 points 3 weeks ago (4 children)

That is one way of looking at this. An alternative view is to say - "The day is coming when AI & robots can do all work, but for pennies on the hour" - will probably arrive by the 2030s. Every day we waste on pointless conversations that are destined to go nowhere, is a day we waste planning for the future. Worse than that, the chaos and despondency the AI/jobs threat creates, adds to the general conditions that are making the rise of fascism and the far right more prevalent.

[–] Lugh@futurology.today 15 points 3 weeks ago* (last edited 3 weeks ago) (16 children)

I sympathize, most of my work falls under the category of 'creative' too. But this conversation about AI & robotics needs to quickly move to UBI, or universal access to basic needs like health and housing. The day is coming when AI & robots can do all work, but for pennies on the hour & a free market economy isn't viable any more. This approach doesn't acknowledge that; it still assumes a free market economy can work in the future.

[–] Lugh@futurology.today 3 points 3 weeks ago* (last edited 3 weeks ago) (1 children)

Big caveats here, no peer reviewed results etc. However, I suspect the basic principle is sound. It makes you wonder what more advanced versions of something like this could do.

[–] Lugh@futurology.today 8 points 3 weeks ago (3 children)

People have often tended to think about AI and robots replacing jobs in terms of working-class jobs like driving, factories, warehouses, etc.

When it starts coming for the professional classes, as this is now starting to, I think things will be different. It's been a long-observed phenomena that many well-off sections of the population hate socialism, except when they need it - then suddenly they are all for it.

I wonder what a small army of lawyers in support of UBI could achieve?

[–] Lugh@futurology.today 0 points 3 weeks ago* (last edited 3 weeks ago) (1 children)

What's your point? We know AI can be deployed in dishonest ways. So can books, and newspapers.

It's Critical-Thinkig-Skills-101 to not fall for the 'one of the blue people is bad, therefore all blue people are bad' argument.

[–] Lugh@futurology.today 5 points 3 weeks ago

The other benefit here is scale. Skilled human facilitators and their time are in short supply. AI deployment can be orders of magnitude greater.

[–] Lugh@futurology.today 11 points 3 weeks ago (2 children)

Honestly, why isn't the world more awake to this? These same scientists also did other studies, where higher concentrations of nanoplastics started causing widespread malformations throughout the embryo. It's deeply disturbing.

[–] Lugh@futurology.today 7 points 3 weeks ago

Agreed. Sadly though I think we are heading for 2.4c heating, and we also need to prepare for emergency responses.

[–] Lugh@futurology.today 3 points 4 weeks ago

They are supposed to be far more stable.

[–] Lugh@futurology.today 2 points 4 weeks ago

The whole point of this instance is 'evidence-based speculation about the future'. It's fine to put up your own opinions about things, with supporting arguments, for debate.

It doesn't suggest that they are correct, merely that they are topics for discussion. Lots of scientific papers suggest jumping off points for other ideas and concepts, that aren't referenced in the original paper.

[–] Lugh@futurology.today 2 points 4 weeks ago (1 children)

There is relatively little research modeling asteroid ejecta dispersing throughout the galaxy. I'm really surprised this isn't researched more.

https://astrobiology.com/2022/02/on-possible-life-dispersal-patterns-beyond-the-earth.html

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