April 2017

Kasparov, Wall-E and AI Hope

The first man to be beaten by a machine is now optimistic about AI.

Gary Kasparov, Russian chess champion, also holds the title of being the first human beaten by a machine. The momentous occasion happened in 1997. He reportedly did not react well to his defeat, once accusing IBM of cheating by using a humans to improve the computer’s gaming strategy. He would later become one of the first voices to warn about the danger of AI. So, it is with great surprise that I read last week his turn-of-heart article where he encourage readers to embrace the AI revolution.

He is describing what I talked about in the blog about augmentation – machines taking over menial tasks leaving us free to pursue occupations that require creativity. That is, since machines are well suited for performing repetitive endeavors with precision, humans are then free to create new products, improve on existing systems and care for each other.

Wall-E: the adorable truth-speaking robot

On Saturday, for our family movie night, we sat down to watch Wall-E. I was excited about the choice and the break from the usual tales of fair princesses. Indeed, I had forgotten how much I enjoyed this animated movie. The robot characters and their romance are as endearing as it could get. It is funny, adorable and in some ways prophetic. Sophia, my seven year-old, turned to me at the end of the movie to inform me that the movie teaches a lesson on how to care of our earth. Even kids get it!

If you have not watched it, please do so in the next few days. Without giving much of the story away, the movie paints a bleak future of an Earth abandoned and trashed. The only remaining survivors are a cute clean-up robot called Wall-E and his companion cockroach. He toils away day after day compacting and piling up trash. Yet, in his spare time he watches old musicals in an old TV set. His world changes when EVE, an adorable female robot, arrives on earth in search for life.

The movie centers on their budding relationship in which humans play only a secondary part. In the movie, people live in a cruise-like spaceship designed by a large multi-national corporation to keep them in space until the clean up effort on Earth was complete. Except, the clean up effort failed and humanity was stuck in this ship where robots catered to all their needs. So much so, that most did not even walk developing morbidly obese bodies. Sounds eerily familiar? Well, it should.

Now what these two stories have in common?

I see the Wall-E modern parable as a cautionary tale of a Kasparov’s vision going terribly wrong. By replacing all labor with robots , humans would be doomed to entertain themselves to death. It raises questions about the recent discussions on technology replacing human employment with basic guaranteed income. The irony of the movie was that while the robots were there to serve humans, humans had actually become enslaved to the machines.

They had built the the perfect convenient life that they lost themselves in the machines meant to make their lives better.

They never pursued the higher endeavors of creativity, art and building new worlds. Their desire atrophied, their vision darkened and their lives became a meaningless distraction from the real work waiting for them on earth.

What then is AI hope?

Kasparov’s point is still well-taken, as long as we balance it with the lessons from Wall-E. Technology created to set us free had many times enslaved to addictive entertainment. I see that in the growing popularity of video games which now is not confined to children anymore but has become a serious hobby for adults.

The future of augmentation, must be built around a telos that goes beyond the perpetual pursuit for novelty. Motherboard released an article titled “people don’t want to leave AI up to corporations“. Raising the question is a good start. Left to their own devices, corporations will continue to feed us with perpetual dreams of novelty. While progress will occur, and quality of life will improve, resources will be channeled to what is profitable not what is good.

AI hope starts by broadening the conversation. It must begin by extending the table and welcoming new stakeholders to the conversation. The purpose of human flourishing must be a guiding principle.

In a micro level, this means expanding the digital opportunities of employment to those usually shut out of them. It starts with movements to teach STEM skills in schools and homes. It begins by de-mystifying computer work from being specialized for the “geeks” to being everybody’s work, especially girls and minorities.

Towards that end, it is encouraging to see companies like Facebook and Apple offering coding camps and other resources that democratize IT knowledge. Yet, the vision of benevolent augmentation, where humanity is free from toil and directed towards creativity, will not come through technologies or even tech companies. It will come by the collective work of multiple stakeholders steering the development of technology towards equal opportunity. In short, it must be primarily concerned with human flourishing.

How can you make your voice heard in the AI conversation? How can you influence the development of technology towards human flourishing? I would love to hear your thoughts.

Our Bodies Matter to God

Because robust theology cannot be done without a strong biblical foundation, I will occasionally blog on the lectionary. For those of you not familiar with the lectionary, it is system that divides the Bible in Sunday readings so that a congregation can cycle through all of Scripture in a period of 3 years. It is a mainstay in mainline denominations but is now also becoming common in non-denomination circles.

This is not a Sunday sermon but an attempt to reflect on all passages as one unit. I will be focusing on themes that emerge from the passages read in sequence along with a picture.

The picture for this lesson comes from a Christian community in Cameroon.

Second Sunday of Easter – Year A

(Acts 2:14a, 22-32; Psalm 16; I Peter 1:3-9 and John 20:19-31)
The readings for this Sunday extend our Easter journey on its way to Pentecost. As I read the passages, body part references caught my attention:

Acts 2:26b – my tongue rejoiced; moreover my flesh will live in hope

Acts 2:31b – David spoke of the resurrection of the Messiah, saying, ‘He was not abandoned to Hades, nor did his flesh experience corruption.

Psalms 16:9 Therefore my heart is glad, and my soul rejoices; my body also rests secure.

Psalm 16:11b – in your right hand are pleasures forevermore.

John 20:20b – he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord.

John 20:25 “Unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands, and put my finger in the mark of the nails and my hand in his side, I will not believe.”

John 20:28 “Put your finger here and see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it in my side.”

The text’s corporal emphasis points us to the bodily reality of the resurrection. This is a season in the church where we are admonished to look at our earthly vessels with hope. This draws a sharp contrast in how we often perceive our bodies.

Western thought leans on a dualistic foundation that divides the self into body and soul. This duality has permeated our theology often emphasizing the importance of the soul at the expense of the body. This division is also reflected in our technology that divides computers into hardware and software. With the emergence of social media, we also experience the division between an online and an offline life.

In this environment, we often feel fragmented and internally divided. It also forces us into false choices where one area gets neglected while other becomes over-emphasized. In Christian theology, this often means a focus on spiritual things (soul) over earthly matters (body).

Therefore, it is healing to hear the Early Christians’ emphasis on a bodily resurrection. This reminds us that the transformation of Christ is not just for our souls but has ramifications to our physical bodies. Our bodies are not just shells, they are destined to be transformed in Christ’s coming. They matter to God.

May you walk into the incarnate reality of the savior.

May you experience his power in this life.

May you get a taste of heaven in this season.

Peace.

5 Things Christian Leaders Need To Know About AI

AI is fast becoming part of our lives.

So what?

While it is easy to see how this technology is relevant to IT professionals, business leaders and geeks (like myself), how does it impact those pursuing Christian ministry? In this blog, I put forth the five main reasons why I think Christian leaders should be paying attention to AI (and why I started a blog about it).

1. AI Will Directly Impact Those You Minister To

Professionals in all areas will experience some type of disruption because of the rise of AI. Drivers, accountants and loan officers may become unemployed. Lawyers will have to re-learn to practice their profession alongside digital assistants. Business leaders will face competitive pressures to adopt AI technologies or see their business become obsolete. They may not identify AI as the culprit yet they will feel the distress caused by it and will be in search for answers.

Disruption is bound to cause anxiety, confusion and fear. While the church has been in the business of comforting the afflicted for centuries, we have not always done this in an informed manner. Understanding the implications of the upcoming 4th industrial revolution to come from these technologies can help you better speak to the lives of those affected by it. Not all of it will be negative, in fact much will be positive. Yet, fast change has a way to disorient us often causing us to resist it.

2. AI is Changing How We Relate to Each Other

As computers become more human-like, relationships are taking a new dimension. In a time where isolation increases, many will be looking for virtual companionship. What one could only find through human interaction will now become possible with highly intelligent machines. This can take place in many ways such as acquiring a companion robot, finding partners or friends through AI enhanced applications to pursuing intimacy with sexbots. The movie Her depicts a world where people engage in monogamous relationships with AI applications. This will become possible in the near future.

If you think gay marriage is a challenge, try marriage with robots? Experts predict that marriage to robots will become legal by 2050. If your parishioner wants to marry his/her android, will you officiate it? While this is still far off, the transition to this reality will start now as computer interfaces become more personable.

3. AI Can be Conduit for Missions and Incarnational Ministries

While AI will eliminate jobs, it will also foster new industries that don’t exist today. As AI applications become more common, there will be a tremendous demand for people with the skills to operate, fix and create tools based on these technologies. The education for these jobs does not exist and only a handful of degrees can prepare you to thrive in these new professions. This is truly where the church has a great opportunity by moving into this area early. Some AI professionals may already sit in your pews. Maybe it is time you invite them for coffee.

This could work for Christians of all denominations. Evangelicals could enter new missionary frontiers through business as mission that introduce this technology to developing countries. Mainliners could devise vibrant incarnational ministries around AI education and social empowerment. These are just a few examples but you get the picture. If the future of opportunity is in AI, then let’s carve out a space to live out the gospel in it.

4. AI Can Take The Study of Scriptures to a Whole New Level

AI can take your Bible software to a whole new level. Through natural language processing algorithms, we will soon be able to detect sentiment, do in-depth research in large bodies of texts and even summarize the life-work of great theologians in a matter of instants. We will move away from word searches to the researching ideas or themes implicit in the text. Imagine you want to prepare a message in the theme of joy. Not only you’ll be able to find all verses that contain the word joy but also actual examples where Biblical characters felt joy even if the words themselves were not spelled out. You will also be able to find passages with joyful tones through sentiment analysis. Suddenly, you will have many new avenues to explore the biblical text which before would require painstaking work to accomplish.

The possibilities do not end in research but also extend to producing new content. While the AI preacher is still a far cry, soon you will be able to enlist AI in crafting life-changing sermons and/or analyzing past sermons in new ways. By training AI applications with past sermons, the computer could create new sermons that align with your past style and theological emphasis. It is not that you would outsource the creative process to a software but using it could enhance your ability to communicate effectively. In short, new tools will be available for those who enjoy in-depth studies or want to improve on their communication skills.

5. AI Needs Christian Voices in the Conversation

Historically, Christians have been notorious in entering social conversations late. When we do it, our response is reactive, uninformed and grossly ineffective. My hope is that we address this challenge differently. While we are firmly grounded in the past through tradition, that should not hinder us from walking boldly into the future. The emergence of AI has profound implications to our humanity. Some even believe that our identity as a species will be altered. All of this is uncharted territory fraught with obstacles and great ethical dilemmas. If we believe our faith has something to say as humanity experiments with super intelligence then we need to make our voices heard.

This blog and is here to do exactly that – empower you to engage in this topic in an informed and faithful manner. Our vision is to shorten the learning curve so people like you can enter the conversation pro-actively. Check out our resources and past blogs and feel free to share this with other leaders.

The challenge to live the Christian life in an AI world is staring at our faces. Let’s hear the voices of our cloud of witnesses beckoning us to live for Christ faithfully in this present context. This starts by entering the conversation.

Will you heed the call?

Can Companion Robots Heal Our Loneliness?

Can companion robots improve the social life of the elderly? That is what Intuition robotics wants you to believe with their new product: ELI Q. This sociable robot interacts with their users reminding them to take their meds, call friends and even to play games. Their rationale is compelling. With an aging population and longer life-spans, using AI to prevent social isolation is a clever idea. The question is, of course, how much is it really incumbent on the user to seek out these interactions?

Not in ELI Q’s demographic, no worries, there are plenty of other sociable robot options for you. Meet Buddy, the companion robot for everyone. He will remind you of Rosie of the Jetsons. He can protect your home, play your music, display facial expressions and more. This project also has a social component in that it proposes to democratize robotics by using an open source platform. That point caught my attention since making robotics technology accessible could be a game-changer for developing countries. Using technology for human advancement is always an attractive proposition.

Now for the future of companion robots, going from cute to human-like, check out Nadine. This human-looking bot goes right past the uncanny valley. That is, she looks human enough not to give us the creeps. She also stands out by having advanced emotional intelligence able to detect emotions through our facial expressions and recall past conversations. Her creators also believe her to be a good companion for those with dementia or autism.

These are glimpses of a coming future where robots will increasingly become part of our lives. Given the acute social isolation many suffer from in our time, social robots offer a promising solution. Yet, can they really provide the relational warmth mostly found in human relationships? That remains to be seen. If, like in the first example, the robot is a conduit to strengthen existing relationships, than this could be a form of enhancement rather than replacement. However, judging by the last example, the line gets blurry. My hope is that we start reflecting on these issues now rather than once these technologies come to commercial fruition. The best interaction with technology is one shaped by human wisdom.

What are your thoughts? Would you consider acquiring a social robot? If so, why?

Ghost in The Shell: Can Cyborgs Feel Hope?

My plan was to convince my wife to go see Ghost In the Shell last weekend. Yet, after reading the scathing reviews, I opted for a different plan. As one interested in the topic of AI, it sounded like the original animated movie (Ghost in the Shell – 1995) directed by Kazunori. A critique of the Hollywood version was its lack of depth compared to the original. Apart from the controversy about white-washing, it seemed like the biggest complaint was the the American version had watered down the content of the original Japanese-British version. This signaled to me that I needed to watch the original. With a few clicks and Amazon prime, I sat down to watch on my laptop on Saturday night.

I didn’t know what to expect but the movie did not disappoint. The quality of the animation along with the music and the rich plot drew me right in. I will not dive into the story to avoid spoiling the experience in case you decide to watch it for yourself. I just want to highlight two main observations. First, I was impressed about how visionary the writers were in painting a plausible vision of the future. They depicted a time in which humans can augment their brains with hardware and cyborgs who can upload human memories. Considering the beginning development of brain interfaces, this scenario is not far-fetched. Secondly, the movie excelled in exploring what it means to be human in a world where technology had become embedded into human bodies. This is the area I want to explore a bit in this blog.

The leading character in the story is a female cyborg who starts asking existential questions. Half-way through the movie, she engages in a dialogue with a male cyborg about the experience of diving in the ocean. She describes what is akin to a transcendent experience as her body emerges from the water. As the conversation develops, she reminisces about her unique experience and how that is similar to humanity. Suddenly, as they are talking, a voice speaks through her (something akin to the Spirit) and quotes I Cor 13:12 (about minute 2:42)

It is difficult to unpack this deep conversation in a blog but I have to say that this scene alone was worth the whole movie. Major (the female cyborg) is yearning for some type wholeness, just as the Apostle in I Corinthians is pointing his readers to the future restoration of all things in Chirst. As the movie ends, Major does experience the wholeness she is looking for (yet, you’ll have to watch the movie to see that for yourself).

Judging from other parts of the movie, it is clear that Major is not purely a cyborg. She has human parts even though she is mostly machine. Without stretching this too far, I wonder if Major is a picture of our future selves. Let me explain. As we move towards further “cyborgization”, with our bodies merging with our technological devices, are we in danger of changing our humanity beyond recognition? In that loss, are we still able to experience transcendence – that is, to move beyond our limited mortality into timeless realm? I am not even talking about religion but simply the ability to reach beyond our programmed and scripted present into a higher purpose.

Even as I write this, I sense the inadequacy of the words I am using. It is as if our vocabulary has not quite caught up with the reality we are about to experience. Yet, in all that, I am heartened to see the movie pointing to hope. In other words, it is possible, even in a body overtaken by electronics, to experience the very human trait of longing, love and expectation. They are the echoes of the restoration to come.

Much more could be said, for now I leave you with an expanded version of the passage quoted by the Major in the video above:

When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child; when I became an adult, I put an end to childish ways.For now we see in a mirror, dimly,^b] but then we will see face to face. Now I know only in part; then I will know fully, even as I have been fully known. And now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; and the greatest of these is love – I Co 13:11-13

Who gets to decide our future?

Business insider published a provocative article suggesting a transition to come where our devices will progress from being detached to wearable, and eventually to implanted. Elon Musk just launched Neuralink, a company seeking to develop a neural lace that could upload our thoughts. Sweedish startup Epicenter is now implanting microchips in their employees to act as cards so they can open doors and pay for a smoothie. Can this be the beginning of a whole new industry that wants to shape us into cyborgs?

This is not scientific fiction anymore but part of a near future. Technology is basically the outgrowth of humanity’s desire to create tools. Tools are extensions of our bodies so we can perform tasks more proficiently. Yet, these technologies are taking tools to a different level: they are no longer extensions but would become actual parts of our bodies. This is clearly a new frontier we have scarcely considered.

As business titans imagine this cyborg scenario, the question I want to ask is who gets to decide our future? Just look at how our lives now are shaped by the gadgets that surround us. Are ready to accept them as part of our bodies? In a vacuum of vision, the future belongs to the few who dare imagine it now. Maybe it is time we step into these conversations and start imagining alternative futures.

Are you ready to imagine?

Augmentation versus Automation: The True Struggle for AI Success

In the discussion about AI, a lot has been said about the fear of automation. Yet, not enough is said about augmentation. Automation replaces human work while augmentation enhances human work. Just think about mowing your grass without a motorized lawn mower and you get the picture of what augmentation looks like. Without it, you would have to cut all the grass, sweep it into piles and then throw it in the trash. The motorized mower does steps 1 and 2 at once while also diminishing your physical exertion in the process. AI technologies do the same but for work that requires thinking.

AI and Augmentation

Visionaries at Amazon and Google, imagine a future in which digital assistants like Alexa will cut through all the tech fragmentation present in our current devices. How? Think about how many apps exist on your phone. Wouldn’t be easier to have all those apps managed by a digital assistant? In organizing and simplifying our digital life, AI could eliminate the current inefficiencies of keeping up with so many apps giving us time to do other things. This would not only help our personal lives but also greatly simplify our work lives.

Think about how many different software you had to learn just to do your job. What if this software could be simplified through an AI interface? Think about a device that you don’t have to type to get what you need, instead you can simply speak to it in normal conversation.

There lies the promise of AI: its ability to augment our abilities to get things done. It can not only remove repetitive and inefficient tasks but also helps us improve on what we already do well. I certainly would love to have a digital assistant help me write this blog faster. It turned out to be a total failure so I am still waiting for better AI writers. The question becomes, will these Silicon Valley titans achieve their dreamed augmentation.

Photo by Science in HD on Unsplash

The False Promises of Automation

Contrary to augmentation, automation seeks to replace humans with machines that do job faster for cost-saving reasons. Think about the demise of manufacturing in this country, mainly driven by automation in factories. Consider the impact of truck drivers with the introduction of driver-less trucks. While companies could save millions by dispensing drivers, the human cost in lost income and social isolation would also be significant.

Automation does not lead to less work. At the beginning of the last century, some believed that because of the progress of technology, soon we would be working 4 hours a day or less. The thinking was that as machines automated manual work, humans would be free to sit by the pool seeping a margarita while the work gets completed. Needless to say, this scenario did not pan out.

Instead, we witnessed was the emergence of whole new work functions that now were needed to maintain the new technological ecosystem. Did we achieve new levels of productivity? Yes, but it certainly was not a linear process. As we could do more with less, organizations also started expecting workers to do more with their tools.

Above all, there has been an exponential increase in complexity. If automation enthusiasts envisioned a simpler future where work became easier they were woefully mistaken. The implementation of computerized machines added a whole sleuth of new requirements that weren’t there before. Surely that created the need for new occupations to emerge. Yet, as we look back at the 3 previous industrial revolutions, did they foster human flourishing?

A Theology for Machines?

As we approach the 4th industrial revolution, this augmentation vs automation framework allows us to reflect theologically on the role of machines. A theological view of technology, one that puts humanity before profit, will focus on steering tools towards augmentation as opposed to automation. It starts with how we view work. Is it a means to an end or an inherent part of our humanity? A utilitarian view of work will easily lead to the immoral way of automation. On the contrary, seeing work as an expression of our God-given humanity, can therefore see machine as allies rather than competitors for work.

Here we can also reflect on tools (technology) as an extension of the Imago Dei on us. God’s image imprint in us compel us to be creators through tools. On the flip side, the Bible often cautions us about the limitations of humanity. The Judeo-Christian tradition teaches us that there is only one Creator God who is greater than humanity. Any human attempt to usurp God’s place will be fraught with disaster.

Regardless of faith tradition, a theological view of technology will often ask the question: is this tool augmenting a human ability or replacing it? If it is replacing, what is the human loss? If it is augmenting, what are its limits? These questions alone should provide us some much-needed guidance as we step into the uncharted waters of Artificial Intelligence. May we ask them sooner rather than later.

Month: April 2017