Farstuff: The Internet of Things Podcast

#4: What Happens When Things Can Think?

03.22.2014 - By Andreea Borcea & Charles WiltgenPlay

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What’s the likelihood that our network of Internet of Things will exceed our own human intellect? What would this mean for the rights of robots? Join us for a fun discussion involving some of our favorite fictional robots, and speculation about what the world would look like with a society that includes incredibly intelligent creatures of our own making.

Shows and characters we mention:

* The Doctor from Star Trek: Voyager

* Lieutenant Commander Data from Star Trek: The Next Generation (“the good one”)

* Battlestar Galactica

We talk about:

* What is “The Singularity”?

* Sentient Roombas

* But will it have Scarlett Johansson’s voice?

* Robot civil rights

* My Siri and your Siri

* “I wanna see that movie!”

* The robot version of X-Men

* Analogy with other civil rights movenents

* Why Will Smith gotta be mean to robots?

* “Doing almost nothing all of the time”

* Hoping Watson stays on our side

* Capping AI skill levels

* Robot labor party!

* Paying people to be your friend

* Virtual pop stars vs. meatspace pop stars: Fight!

* “Well I think that you wouldn’t want a used one”

* Dogs vs. Furbys

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