The AI Threat Isn’t Skynet – It’s the End of the Middle Class • Hacker News Board

Re: The AI Threat Isn’t Skynet – It’s the End of the Middle Class

#11

Post by rick_perez » Fri, Feb 10, 2017, 8:34 PM UTC

We don't need AI to end the middle class.

Services like Uber are replacing what used to be a stable job by fewer drivers with a job now done by many more drivers for peanuts. It's almost a way of taking an industry and redistributing the wealth.

Re: The AI Threat Isn’t Skynet – It’s the End of the Middle Class

#12

Post by anigbrowl » Fri, Feb 10, 2017, 8:34 PM UTC

visarga wrote: post #4

So the unemployed would need to find a way to support themselves by their own work, by cooperation and by using automation as well. A combination of solar technology, robotics, AI and classic engineering could be a formula for self reliance.

Why not just wrest control of the means of production for themselves? The more concentrated the wealth, the easier it becomes to target it. When people see no other practical means of economic advancement revolutions tend to ensue.

Re: The AI Threat Isn’t Skynet – It’s the End of the Middle Class

#13

Post by wnevets » Fri, Feb 10, 2017, 8:35 PM UTC

problems wrote: post #7

People have been saying this kind of thing forever. They said it about agriculture, they said it when the Luddites attacked factories, they said it about farm automation, they said it when computers were becoming popular. I'm not so sure that this time is different - despite all the insistence, I'm sure it seemed just as serious every other time before too.

>People have been saying this kind of thing forever. They said it about agriculture, they said it when the Luddites attacked factories, they said it about farm automation, they said it when computers were becoming popular.

were they wrong tho?

Re: The AI Threat Isn’t Skynet – It’s the End of the Middle Class

#14

Post by anon987 » Fri, Feb 10, 2017, 8:36 PM UTC

problems wrote: post #7

People have been saying this kind of thing forever. They said it about agriculture, they said it when the Luddites attacked factories, they said it about farm automation, they said it when computers were becoming popular. I'm not so sure that this time is different - despite all the insistence, I'm sure it seemed just as serious every other time before too.

Scary how people can't see the technological differences between 1850 and 2017 - kinda like how climate change deniers never bring up the industrial revolution.

Re: The AI Threat Isn’t Skynet – It’s the End of the Middle Class

#15

Post by Florin_Andrei » Fri, Feb 10, 2017, 8:36 PM UTC

visarga wrote: post #4

So the unemployed would need to find a way to support themselves by their own work, by cooperation and by using automation as well. A combination of solar technology, robotics, AI and classic engineering could be a formula for self reliance.

Yes, let them eat cake instead.

Re: The AI Threat Isn’t Skynet – It’s the End of the Middle Class

#16

Post by excalibur » Fri, Feb 10, 2017, 8:37 PM UTC

Why can't it be both?

Re: The AI Threat Isn’t Skynet – It’s the End of the Middle Class

#17

Post by zitterbewegung » Fri, Feb 10, 2017, 8:37 PM UTC

xapata wrote: post #10

problems wrote: post #7

People have been saying this kind of thing forever. They said it about agriculture, they said it when the Luddites attacked factories, they said it about farm automation, they said it when computers were becoming popular. I'm not so sure that this time is different - despite all the insistence, I'm sure it seemed just as serious every other time before too.

A large middle class hasn't been around all that long in the history of civilization. Maybe it's just a flash in the pan. My guess is that computer programming will be the new blue collar manufacturing job.

Programming isn't the new blue collar manufacturing job because you don't employ nearly as many people as you were doing manufacturing as you would be employing as computer programmers. Look at the amount of programmers at Alphabet (Google) vs people employed by Ford.

Re: The AI Threat Isn’t Skynet – It’s the End of the Middle Class

#18

Post by boona » Fri, Feb 10, 2017, 8:38 PM UTC

So was the telegram, the telephone, automobiles, computers, but every time it's meant an astonishing increase in wealth for everyone.

Employment isn't even the end all be all, we would be much happier with 50% employment and greater levels of wealth.

Re: The AI Threat Isn’t Skynet – It’s the End of the Middle Class

#19

Post by dragontamer » Fri, Feb 10, 2017, 8:38 PM UTC

rick_perez wrote: post #11

We don't need AI to end the middle class. Services like Uber are replacing what used to be a stable job by fewer drivers with a job now done by many more drivers for peanuts. It's almost a way of taking an industry and redistributing the wealth.

> Services like Uber are replacing what used to be a stable job by fewer drivers with a job now done by many more drivers for peanuts.

Right idea, wrong complaint.

GPS is the automated tool that killed the Taxi. There was a time when it took specialized knowledge to know the layout of a city. GPS took away the one edge the Taxi-industry had... experience in driving and roads.

Uber is just the first major company to take advantage of cheap GPS technology. As soon as GPS-systems were so cheap that they are in literally everybody's pockets... the Taxicab industry became an endangered species.

Re: The AI Threat Isn’t Skynet – It’s the End of the Middle Class

#20

Post by sp332 » Fri, Feb 10, 2017, 8:38 PM UTC

visarga wrote: post #4

So the unemployed would need to find a way to support themselves by their own work, by cooperation and by using automation as well. A combination of solar technology, robotics, AI and classic engineering could be a formula for self reliance.

Agriculture is controlled by a relatively small sliver of people. If you can't convince some of them to be on your side and give you food, then your movement is going to starve.