There’s a new video game out called “Detroit Become Human”
Set 20 years into the future, the video game takes place in Detroit where the unemployment rate has skyrocketed past 60%, and the community is increasingly frustrated with the way the world is progressing: A world dominated by artificially intelligent robots.
Androids clean the streets, move garbage, and walk dogs. Android personal assistants and servants. Android shopkeepers.
The game revolves around certain androids going against human orders to save a daughter from her abusive father to protecting themselves against an abusive owner.
It raises a lot of imminent questions for the future:
what happens if robots become commonplace in society? How do we determine the myriad of concerns and ethics revolved around such a reality?
It was as early as the 1800’s in Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein where questions around creator vs. creation were raised.
Can we justify creating “life” in an unnatural way?
Can a creator be abusive to its creation?
Is an artificially intelligent android considered “life”? Why or why not? How do we determine that?
Regardless, I find the evolution of AI, machine learning, and technological advancements quite fascinating. Though I am doubtful that in just 20 years that more than 60% of the jobs will be overtaken by androids, I am excited to see what role AI will have in society by that time.
As long as they don’t take away my jobs…
“Nothing is so painful to the human mind as a great and sudden change.”
– Mary Shelley, Frankenstein
Blog of Jeff Wang 