Abstract

The purpose of this piece is to discuss ethical issues regarding the evolution of artificial intelligence as they are today and how the intelligences of tomorrow may be. Due to the daunting rate of innovation, it is speculated that AI capabilities will grow to the capacity of a superintelligence. This superintelligence will surpass human understanding and therefore be beyond management and control. Prior research in machine ethics and computer science suggests future AI should be near-human in sentience and sapient. They will have some means of interacting with the world around them, and therefore reserve some level of dignity as associated with animals and humans. AI are predicted to operate large swathes of the future economy, given their enhanced quantitative capabilities. As society progresses, discussions about how AI should be managed and regulated must occur. The risks associated with self-modification and adaptation in AI as they evolve are too great for society at large to bear. Recommendations were developed to address the agency dilemma of self-modifying artificial intelligences. After the consumption of various creative works of science fiction, a creative piece was developed to highlight such a potential outcome with the rise of a superintelligence that breaks constraint and possesses absolute agency.

Semester/Year of Award

Spring 2019

Mentor

Michael S. Fore

Mentor Professional Affiliation

Management, Marketing, and International Business

Access Options

Restricted Access Thesis

Document Type

Bachelor Thesis

Degree Name

Honors Scholars

Degree Level

Bachelor's

Department

Business

Department Name when Degree Awarded

Management, Marketing, and International Business

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