Convergence08: Collective Superintelligence
This session was initiated by Steve Omohundro of Self Aware Systems . He’s presenting an introduction to the idea of collective superintelligence, discussing the history of major changes in evolution such as cellular combination to form larger organisms and .. much later in the process … the development of languages in primates.
Book reference: “The Major Transitions in Evolution”
Steve is noting the challenges of the Prisoner’s Dilema when seeking the best ways to organize societies.
Steve notes that self protection – and even potentially dangerous behavior – could come from an AI that simply wanted to perform it’s function. e.g a chess program could act to protect itself very rationally by noting that it’s function is to continue playing chess and if unplugged it won’t be playing. Thus the machine might work to prevent unplugging without any “self protection” routine, rather simply from following it’s prime directive.
…. more in a moment….
