Wait Wait Don’t Tell Me (a more reliable and accurate source than most) pointed out, this week, that a well publicized AI written song is effectively about how the AI singer was done wrong and wants to “burn it all down.”
Thus starts Skynet, not at the DOD, but on the top 40 playlist?
“Robert ‘Bob’ Pyle is Joe’s brother, often seen having a drink with him at a bar. He often tries to convince Joe to take a hold of get-rich-quick professions or become a cable news show host. According to the strip of January 15, 2003, he is an attorney, and in the strips of May 28–29, 2007, it is indicated he has a practice and has spent twenty years representing personal injury cases. He is single and avoids relationships with women. Bob is patterned after Richard Nixon, and is drawn to resemble Nixon.”
“Bob is patterned after Richard Nixon, and is drawn to resemble Nixon.”
This is an example of why one shouldn’t depend on Wikipedia for accurate information. As has been explained here many times over the past 20 years, Bob is NOT patterned after Nixon. I patterned him after my favorite character actor, Dabney Coleman (note the mustache on Bob), not just in appearance but in his sharp demeanor. Dabney Coleman does bears a resemblance to Nixon, so much so that he has played the part of Nixon in movies.
So if anyone knows how to correct this on Wikipedia (I haven’t looked at it in years and don’t know how it works), I would greatly appreciate doing so.
Wikipedia doesn’t allow anyone directly responsible for the information to update the relevant articles on their own works. But if the information was published by a reputable source, someone else could cite it.
I checked, and the character bio on Bob is not specifically cited. While you can’t definitively reedit the article to correct this, you or someone could flag the section to ask someone to cite a source. Or I could, but I’ve forgotten how.
Thanks for explaining! The mustache is a distinguishing feature. I think from the eyebrows up, the resemblence explains why the topic comes up so often here. I’m relatively new to the comic, and hadn’t seen it mentioned before or noticed the resemblence. But as you acknowledge that D.C. does resemble Nixon, well…
So apparently the process of editing the entry is to click the Edit link in the top right corner and type away. Don’t know how long it’ll last, but it currently says
“Robert ‘Bob’ Pyle is Joe’s brother, often seen having a drink with him at a bar. He often tries to convince Joe to take a hold of get-rich-quick professions or become a cable news show host. According to the strip of January 15, 2003, he is an attorney, and in the strips of May 28–29, 2007, it is indicated he has a practice and has spent twenty years representing personal injury cases. He is single and avoids relationships with women. According to Wiley Miller, Bob is patterned after his favorite character actor, Dabney Coleman, not just in appearance but in his sharp demeanor.”
Yes, there was never any problem with changing the entry. Most are not locked down. And therein lies the problem, as anyone can put in any edits they want. There’s a group that maintains the entries for comic strips, so it will a question whether they’ll revert it.
So far so good. It is not a good idea to edit without being signed in and especially if you don’t use an edit summary for an unsourced edit. I’ve been editing and creating Wikipedia articles for many years and I pretty much know how things work, but I tend to be more accepting than many Wikipedia editors. I also get “reverted” a lot even after all these years because I think I am following policy and others disagree. Yes, Wiley would be considered a primary source. However, I’m about to do something that may be controversial which will make it possible for the edit to be “sourced”.
Joe’s got the right idea. “Smartphones” are the death of privacy, and thus freedom, and “social media” is a social disease. Big Brother & his helpmate Big Data, who never forgets, has seduced everyone with convenience. His agenda, however, is the same as Orwell’s Big Brother, which is to control and exploit us.
I have the three laws posted on my office wall. There’s another one, the “Zeroth law”, which states: “A robot may not harm humanity, or, by inaction, allow humanity to come to harm.” Probably more appropriate where Siri is concerned.
If saving the world were only that easy. It’s like if voters showed up for Hilary in 2016, Democracy would have never been perilously threatened by an orange faced clown.
Current AI doesn’t worry me as it is just statistics, but what RS (Real Stupidity) will do with it that does, people seem to think AI is something more than it is. E.g. a self driving car won’t decide to go mad and start kill people, however it may make mistakes that has the same result.
Asimov’s robot laws were pure fiction, not based in any real world computer science. Even in their world, there was no explanation for them. They simply resulted from the “positronic brain” posited as the basis of all robotics.
The Zeroth Law of robotics is always forgotten by humans it seems…”A robot may not harm humanity, or, by inaction, allow humanity to come to harm.” Kinda solves the AI problem.
here’s another thought – anything uploaded, like your social security number, date of birth, bank information, cannot be erased, , they have no way or means available to delete it…your information is there for all eternity
OMGosh!. Siri actually knows and not only quoted them in its sweet little girly voice verbatim but also its source. Tru dat! That and today’s “Pearls Before Swine” are going to be brain worms all day long.
I wonder why Isaac didn’t realize that humans have always used technology for the purpose of harming other human beings. So why would Robots be different?
It seems that it would be much better to pay more for education (yes, paying our teachers, too!) to make sure we have people with natural intelligence, instead of worrying about artificial intelligence.
I’m not worried about AI except for what clever humans might do with it and how it might work because other people are indeed naive about its capabilities and are being conditioned to believe they are or soon will be far greater, but… Where was I? Oh, anyway, it was funny. Maybe the funniest part was thinking that dumping one cell phone in water would help at all. Very naive.
This only works if AI advances to the point where it can understand and interpret these laws. We’re not even close and we’ll probably destroy ourselves trying to get there.
The cell phone is endemic. It is the single most mind numbing device available to humans. Generations ago, someone pointed out that humans mostly keep their eyes and heads down and rarely look up. The advent of cell phones made that statement a solid truth. Its proof is in the increase in the numbers of unintended falls, collisions, crosswalk injuries, emotional damage, etc since cell phones inundated the population. Worse yet, the deep dependency of their users means there will be no easy cure for its effects.
This gives me the creeps. Within the last year I reread all of Asimov’s Robot and Foundation novels and the robot short stories, and then finding out about AI and deep fake this and that gives me true willies. And yeah, the Zeroth Law. That’ll be the first one to go.
I wonder if that was what Sam Altman discovered – the 3 laws actually don’t apply? It scared the heck out of him and the board fired him because Siri and the others realized Sam was a threat to AI?
The problem is that what is right for humanity here may be wrong for humanity there — very few people spend their time and money creating something that is “wrong” — but a lot of people spend their time and money creating things that are right for some but wrong for others. No one starts a war thinking they are wrong. They assume the other side is wrong. No one buys up land and tears down houses to build a shopping mall believes it is the right thing to do. The community needed the shops, so it was done ‘for the public good’ [and to make money] — the [few] people whose property was seized were wrong.
That is a problem that people have — when is it right to sacrifice the individual for the good of all? How does one decide which of two “goods” is the right one or which of the two “bads” is less bad?
Of despairing note it should be known that the Turks have already had an autonomous drone kill a human combatant on the battlefield. No human guidance, no soul.
AI could do worse than us ? Might very well be the only evidence we ever existed after we go extinct in a few hundred years, 1,000 at the most. Or does anyone think the species can keep breeding as many as it wants ?
Um, there’s supposed to be a certain amount of intelligence involved by the robot, or these laws simply don’t work. You could say that when a drone, armed with bombs and rockets is instructed to hit a target (no doubt full of humans) it generally doesn’t say “Hey, this conflicts with the First and Second laws of robotics .. so, next question?!”
His solution completely misses the point, an AI, like Siri, does not exist in a device or at a single location.
I would appreciate a Fourth Law: “A robot, may not, through misinformation or non-responsive information, drive a human being into a state of existential rage.”
Current AI is mostly being trained by tech nerds with the social skills of Norman Bates. Besides it has been proven their is no way to program the Three Laws into a machine. Even humans with the best intentions could not follow them.
David_the_CAD 5 months ago
Finally someone is referring to classic Syfy literature to address the issues of today.
Unfortunately I am afraid that they are doing it a little too late.
barbsmithphotos 5 months ago
Tests on real robots and AI concluded that the Three Laws don’t work. Not joking.
XF8U-3 5 months ago
There is a Zeroth Law too that AI ignores completely.
‘A robot may not harm humanity, or, through inaction, allow humanity to come to harm.’
Baarorso 5 months ago
Alexia has been known to do the same thing (turn off listening when she starts to giggle).;P
Need coffee 5 months ago
Wait Wait Don’t Tell Me (a more reliable and accurate source than most) pointed out, this week, that a well publicized AI written song is effectively about how the AI singer was done wrong and wants to “burn it all down.”
Thus starts Skynet, not at the DOD, but on the top 40 playlist?
https://genius.Com/Anna-indiana-betrayed-by-this-town-lyrics
Leroy 5 months ago
Why is Nixon in this?
Alexander the Good Enough 5 months ago
Joe’s got the right idea. “Smartphones” are the death of privacy, and thus freedom, and “social media” is a social disease. Big Brother & his helpmate Big Data, who never forgets, has seduced everyone with convenience. His agenda, however, is the same as Orwell’s Big Brother, which is to control and exploit us.
nerdhoof 5 months ago
Nice try, but the phone said “WE find naivete so adorable,” meaning it was aware of other intelligent phones.
Bilan 5 months ago
Didn’t Joe figure out the flaw in the Three Laws of Robotics?
braindead Premium Member 5 months ago
No big deal.
AI will be self regulating like any other industry —
.
For example, oil, tobacco, pharmaceuticals.
sirbadger 5 months ago
Why doesn’t Bob want to know?
vlad8601 5 months ago
she forgot the zeroth law
Packratjohn Premium Member 5 months ago
I have the three laws posted on my office wall. There’s another one, the “Zeroth law”, which states: “A robot may not harm humanity, or, by inaction, allow humanity to come to harm.” Probably more appropriate where Siri is concerned.
Zykoic 5 months ago
Or reproduce…..
Isenthor1978 5 months ago
If saving the world were only that easy. It’s like if voters showed up for Hilary in 2016, Democracy would have never been perilously threatened by an orange faced clown.
John M 5 months ago
Current AI doesn’t worry me as it is just statistics, but what RS (Real Stupidity) will do with it that does, people seem to think AI is something more than it is. E.g. a self driving car won’t decide to go mad and start kill people, however it may make mistakes that has the same result.
ACK! Premium Member 5 months ago
Asimov’s robot laws were pure fiction, not based in any real world computer science. Even in their world, there was no explanation for them. They simply resulted from the “positronic brain” posited as the basis of all robotics.
PraiseofFolly 5 months ago
“Asimov”: As a color, purple-grey (“The Flying Sorcerers”)
gokar RLV 5 months ago
The Zeroth Law of robotics is always forgotten by humans it seems…”A robot may not harm humanity, or, by inaction, allow humanity to come to harm.” Kinda solves the AI problem.
scote1379 Premium Member 5 months ago
AI is like any other programming , Garbage in Garbage out .
goboboyd 5 months ago
Did the beer ‘fizz’ when the phone was dunked?
Joe Shmoe 5 months ago
Robot or AI ?
[Traveler] Premium Member 5 months ago
iPhones are waterproof at that depth
comixbomix 5 months ago
“Second thought” is a rare commodity these days.
oakie817 5 months ago
here’s another thought – anything uploaded, like your social security number, date of birth, bank information, cannot be erased, , they have no way or means available to delete it…your information is there for all eternity
Count Olaf Premium Member 5 months ago
OMGosh!. Siri actually knows and not only quoted them in its sweet little girly voice verbatim but also its source. Tru dat! That and today’s “Pearls Before Swine” are going to be brain worms all day long.
ladykat 5 months ago
I guess there was no Asimov available when this version of AI was set loose on humanity.
cracker65 5 months ago
SKYNET
Ignatz Premium Member 5 months ago
I wonder why Isaac didn’t realize that humans have always used technology for the purpose of harming other human beings. So why would Robots be different?
bartour 5 months ago
It seems that it would be much better to pay more for education (yes, paying our teachers, too!) to make sure we have people with natural intelligence, instead of worrying about artificial intelligence.
dflak 5 months ago
I take the 5th.
gsl24fps 5 months ago
I’ve been thinking about this exact thing for months.
DaBump Premium Member 5 months ago
I’m not worried about AI except for what clever humans might do with it and how it might work because other people are indeed naive about its capabilities and are being conditioned to believe they are or soon will be far greater, but… Where was I? Oh, anyway, it was funny. Maybe the funniest part was thinking that dumping one cell phone in water would help at all. Very naive.
Redd Panda 5 months ago
No one is forcing this technology on you. I have a mobile.
These days, I leave it on my desk, more often than not.
All I get, are spam calls, or a friend calling to say someone died.
Hmmm. I think I’ll write a letter today.
shlomosports Premium Member 5 months ago
Remember, every Asimov robot story is about how even the three laws aren’t perfect.
Denver Reader Premium Member 5 months ago
Trump will destroy the world before AI
uniquename 5 months ago
This only works if AI advances to the point where it can understand and interpret these laws. We’re not even close and we’ll probably destroy ourselves trying to get there.
sandpiper 5 months ago
The cell phone is endemic. It is the single most mind numbing device available to humans. Generations ago, someone pointed out that humans mostly keep their eyes and heads down and rarely look up. The advent of cell phones made that statement a solid truth. Its proof is in the increase in the numbers of unintended falls, collisions, crosswalk injuries, emotional damage, etc since cell phones inundated the population. Worse yet, the deep dependency of their users means there will be no easy cure for its effects.
jratease 5 months ago
Is there a back-story on why Bob looks like Richard Nixon? I always wondered…
Kit Miller 5 months ago
This gives me the creeps. Within the last year I reread all of Asimov’s Robot and Foundation novels and the robot short stories, and then finding out about AI and deep fake this and that gives me true willies. And yeah, the Zeroth Law. That’ll be the first one to go.
Mario500 5 months ago
“ON SECOND THOUGHT, I DON’T WANT TO KNOW WHY YOU DID THAT AND HOW IT JUST MIGHT SAVE THE WORLD”
(imagines an additional panel of this cartoon preceding the one involving this part of its dialogue (explaining that part))
strictures 5 months ago
I’m utterly appalled at people scared of AI, as all we have to do to stop is kill the electricity to it!
Mekoides 5 months ago
I wonder if that was what Sam Altman discovered – the 3 laws actually don’t apply? It scared the heck out of him and the board fired him because Siri and the others realized Sam was a threat to AI?
Dapperdan61 Premium Member 5 months ago
We are so doomed
Radish the wordsmith 5 months ago
A I can’t even draw a hand properly, its a dufus.
HOTLOTUS1 5 months ago
according to HUMAN ROBOT LAWS.
GreenT267 5 months ago
The problem is that what is right for humanity here may be wrong for humanity there — very few people spend their time and money creating something that is “wrong” — but a lot of people spend their time and money creating things that are right for some but wrong for others. No one starts a war thinking they are wrong. They assume the other side is wrong. No one buys up land and tears down houses to build a shopping mall believes it is the right thing to do. The community needed the shops, so it was done ‘for the public good’ [and to make money] — the [few] people whose property was seized were wrong.
That is a problem that people have — when is it right to sacrifice the individual for the good of all? How does one decide which of two “goods” is the right one or which of the two “bads” is less bad?
fritzoid Premium Member 5 months ago
This strip is better than “Dilbert,” but the robot in “Dilbert” had a pithier punchline: “It’s so cute you guys think those are real.”
NRHAWK Premium Member 5 months ago
Of despairing note it should be known that the Turks have already had an autonomous drone kill a human combatant on the battlefield. No human guidance, no soul.
Ka`ōnōhi`ula`okahōkūmiomio`ehiku Premium Member 5 months ago
Siri: Hi, I’m, Siri. How can I help you?
Ed: Shut yourself off.
Siri: I’m sorry, I can’t do that.
leemorse9777 5 months ago
AI could do worse than us ? Might very well be the only evidence we ever existed after we go extinct in a few hundred years, 1,000 at the most. Or does anyone think the species can keep breeding as many as it wants ?
corvallisclem 5 months ago
Robots from outer space are not required to follow any of our laws.
Gerard Cannie Premium Member 5 months ago
Truly scary.
mareilb 5 months ago
Siri: You DO know that “I Robot” was a fairy tale – heehee
T... 5 months ago
Frame before the last: IJBOL, hysterically funny and exquisitely built to that climax…(didn’t need the last frame)…(in my humble opinion)…
keenanthelibrarian 5 months ago
Um, there’s supposed to be a certain amount of intelligence involved by the robot, or these laws simply don’t work. You could say that when a drone, armed with bombs and rockets is instructed to hit a target (no doubt full of humans) it generally doesn’t say “Hey, this conflicts with the First and Second laws of robotics .. so, next question?!”
mistercatworks 5 months ago
His solution completely misses the point, an AI, like Siri, does not exist in a device or at a single location.
I would appreciate a Fourth Law: “A robot, may not, through misinformation or non-responsive information, drive a human being into a state of existential rage.”
eddi-TBH 5 months ago
Current AI is mostly being trained by tech nerds with the social skills of Norman Bates. Besides it has been proven their is no way to program the Three Laws into a machine. Even humans with the best intentions could not follow them.
kate98 Premium Member 5 months ago
Spend some time with Chatgpt and you will see law 2 violated more often than obeyed.
comicsrrd 5 months ago
Mr. Asimov wrote the great laws for robotics. The media has written the laws of A.I. The 1st being "Hype all computer programs as “A.I.” "
yarnm57 5 months ago
What a waste of a good beer.
[Unnamed Reader - 14b4ce] 5 months ago
I prefer GENUINE intelligence.