MYNET ÖZEL/ ENES ÇRTLIK – The trailer of the Mevzular Open Microphone program featuring Sophia, the first robot in the world to be naturalized, was released recently. The responses of the robot Sophia in the trailer attracted attention. Sophia’s ‘power’ and ‘intelligence’ polemic with Oğuzhan Uğur fell on the agenda of social media. So much so that many posts were made on this dialogue on social media. Sophia’s words, on the other hand, caused a long-debated question to be on the agenda again: Should we be afraid of artificial intelligence?
Marmara University Faculty of Communication Lecturer and Digital Communication Researcher Assoc. Dr. Ali Murat Kırık shared the answer to both this question and the most frequently asked questions with EPN readers.
- Considering Sophia’s polemic with Oğuzhan Uğur, do you think we should be afraid of artificial intelligence?
Assoc. Dr. Ali Murat Broken: “It is not possible to say anything clear about whether we should be afraid of artificial intelligence by evaluating Sophia’s polemic with Oğuzhan Uğur.
“INSTEAD OF BEING CONCERNED…”
However, the development and use of artificial intelligence technology is an issue that needs to be handled carefully. AI has potential benefits as well as potential risks. Rather than worry, it is important to carefully consider and regulate the ethical, safety and societal implications of this technology. Understanding and managing AI can offer a more conscious approach rather than fear.”
- In the polemic about intelligence and power in the trailer, Sophia uses the word “you are poor” for people. Oğuzhan Uğur also interferes with the use of this word. What do you think of Sophia’s use of the word “you’re pathetic” at this point? Was it misunderstood or did we get it right?
“IT MAY ALSO BE POSSIBLE TO USE THIS EXPRESSION AS A PROGRAMMED RESPONSE, BUT NOT FULLY UNDERSTANDING IT LIKE PEOPLE”
Assoc. Dr. Ali Murat Broken: “Sophia’s use of the word “you’re pathetic” can be considered part of the polemic. However, it’s important to remember that expressions used by AI can be perceived in different ways by humans. The use of the word “you’re poor” can lead to different opinions about AI’s ability to understand emotional expressions. situations can be considered as examples showing that AI is not yet capable of thinking emotionally like humans. That is, it is possible that it used this expression as a programmed response, not because it understood it exactly like humans. In summary, understanding AI’s language use and expressions can be complex and such situations should be carefully considered.”
(Assoc. Prof. Ali Murat Kırık)
- Why might Sophia be so strict with conveying human emotion? Why might people see the positive or negative emotions they experience frequently during the day as unnecessary anomalies?
“SOPHIA CANNOT HAVE AN AI AND EMOTIONAL EXPERIENCE”
Assoc. Dr. Ali Murat Broken: “The reasons why Sophia takes a rigid view of human emotions may differ. Firstly, Sophia cannot have an artificial intelligence and emotional experience because she has no biological basis like humans. So she cannot truly understand emotional experiences.
Also, the language and conceptual framework in which Sophia is programmed is not suited to the complexity of emotions. His statements may consist of pre-programmed responses or illustrations and may not reflect a truly emotional experience.
Sophia’s view of positive or negative emotions as anomalies is probably related to the algorithms and databases she’s programmed with. Emotional expressions often don’t have semantic value as humans express them, and can therefore be interpreted differently by artificial intelligence.”
- Sophia says in a part of the trailer, “Intelligence rules over power and power is everything.” At this point, Oğuzhan Uğur reminds a scene in the movie The Matrix and says “power is not the issue” and shows that it is actually “control” by pulling out and hanging up the phone. Is it important or is it control?As Oğuzhan Uğur has shown, if we have the off button, do we really have control? If so, do you think we will have it in the future?
“CONTROL IS THE POWER WE HAVE”
Assoc. Dr. Ali Murat Broken: “The question of whether power or control is important in AI is a topic that requires deep thought. Both elements are important, but it is also possible to say that control is a power we have.
Power can help guide and shape the potential of AI. But control refers to how we use that power and balance the effects of artificial intelligence. Considering the ethical and social responsibilities, especially in the field of artificial intelligence, it is important to maintain control so that the development and use of technology is in favor of people.
“TO HAVE THE OFF BUTTON SHOWS THAT WE HAVE CONTROL”
As Oğuzhan Uğur mentioned, having the off button in our hands indicates that we are in control. However, with the development and prevalence of artificial intelligence in the future, the sustainability and effectiveness of this control may become a challenging issue. Therefore, it is important to emphasize the importance of retaining control and maintaining ethical frameworks when making decisions regarding the development of AI technology.
Whether we will be in control in the future may change depending on how the technology evolves.”