Why are We so Scared of Robots / AIs?

This blog task is published in response to an assigned task by Dr.Dilip Barad sir. While going through the topic of ‘Techno-culture and Risk’ with the reference of Ulrich beach and his thesis thesis ‘Risk Society- Towards a new Modernity (1992), we discussed the increased use of robots/ AIs in the world, how the robots/ Ais are demonstrated in Movies or in screens. Are they harmful or useful? And in this blog I am going to write about my understanding of Ulrich Beck's concept of techno culture and risk and Why we are so afraid of Robots/ AIs.

TECHNO-CULTURE AND RISK

We have been witnessing that today technology has been taking the place of humans in every sector whether in job or giving emotional support. Humans get tired, make mistakes and take holidays whereas technology/ robots don't need any of them. They can work day and night without any mistakes. Technology turns to be a one time investment while humans are to be salaried every month and technology produces double the man produce in lesser time without tantrums. And that's the reason technology is becoming an easy and preferable choice for everyone.

Ulrich Beck in his thesis has said that there is risk to every solution and it's a never ending cycle. Risks are potential disasters. E.g: mobile is a useful tool in the classroom to help students quickly search for answers or to have extra reading. To have a look at images it's a solution to a difficult learning process but it's a risk that if it's allowed students will misuse it and hence, it needs to be banned. We live in an increasingly technological world. ‘

Society is based on scarcity and removal of scarcity. We got rid of the scarcity of food as a solution to the green revolution, the use of pesticides and fertilisers increased for the more quantity of food but it resulted in a risk of health. The quantity of food increased but the quality of food decreased.

Technology/ computers came into existence because humans couldn't do multitasking. Mobile replaced the clock, torch, calculator, book etc many small things which are our regular needs. But now today technology is replacing humans which is again a risk for society. Also we are habituated to technology/ devices such a way that if it gets a virus or even a day we can't have it we become restless. It has become difficult to care for these devices since they contain all our personal data.

Risk and solution leading to other risks continues in the political world also. The party in power is not doing work. Citizens are not happy but the alternate party might or will do the same activities coming in power. We can say. Political party itself is a risk to democracy.

Thus techno-science reveals the risk involved in contaminated and other newer problems which were problems which were previously unknown, it also delivers information about these risks. Beck’s solution to the autopoietic risk culture is to find political potential outside government.

Why are We so Scared of Robots / AIs?

Technology is giving us solutions but with risk. And perhaps this idea is majorly illustrated in our literature, movies etc. Visit Dr. Dilip Barad sir’s on why are we so scared of Robots?

The first one is about babysitter robot who becomes so obsessed of the child that murders the murder.

The second one is on the iMom - Mom robot.

The third is on Satyajit Ray's short story 'Anukul' (1976) - directed by Sujoy Ghosh

These are three sci-fi short films we were assigned to watch. Further in this blog I will answer the question based on these films.

Oscar Schwartz in his Ted Talk on ‘Can Computers Write poetry?’ has given a wonderful insight that the computer, more or less, works like a mirror that reflects any idea of a human that we show it. And perhaps that can be one of the reasons why we are scared of AIs. We don't even trust ourselves or trust other humans and so we are afraid of humans' own reflection.

After watching all these short films I realised that robots work on algorithms. They do what is told to them, they don't have their own understanding or power of spontaneous thinking. They get programmed that he/ she is its owner or master and that programming makes them emotionally attached to their master and try to love their masters but when it comes to others or overcoming feelings they fail in it.

Satyajit Ray’s film very aptly takes a reference from Mahabharata, robot asks the questions which even confuses us and the ultimate answer what the protagonists gives is ‘heart gives us answer to differentiate between right and wrong’ and that is the thing that AIs don't have. For them their duties are their duty. AI understood Mahabharata as his master explained that whoever is against you stands for right and does what your instinct says and he killed masters Cousin.

We are finding humans in AI robots. The second short film about Imom aptly showed that human emotions cannot be found in AIs. Even a single malfunction can destroy a family. A mother in love called an infant a chicken and ordered Imom to cook chicken and it cooked a baby. AIs follow the order, don't think.

Since robots lack understanding, we tend to get unnerved. While safety systems are in place, we subconsciously fret that this isn't enough. What happens if the safety systems malfunction? As the robots get more capable, they also become more complex.

"The development of full artificial intelligence could spell the end of the human race." 

-Stephen Hawking

We see the AIs/ Robots are villainous in all three short films. Same is also seen in Mary Shelly novel Frankenstein, The monster which is a form of robot created by humans, Victor Frankenstein is villainous. Villanising technology has been in fashion since this idea has come. Why? Perhaps as humans we are afraid that it will take our place in society, it will over power us.

While in the recent Bollywood Movies like Robot 2.0 and Ra. One we find the positive face of robots, they are not villainous and are portrayed as Saviour. Perhaps society is changing, their way of looking is changing. I personally feel that even if robots, AIs come into existence it won't be able to take humans' place so soon but for that human will have to keep their power over them or else they can enslave us.

I hope my blog is useful. Thanks for visiting.