‘Meet the Future’ at Ubben Lecture

Friday, December 1, 2017

Artificial intelligence (A.I.) is making the “rise of machines” -- once the stuff of science fiction -- a reality. As “60 Minutes” reported on Oct. 9, “It might not be long before machines begin thinking for themselves -- creatively, independently, and sometimes with better judgment than a human.”

On Feb. 28, the public is invited to “Meet the Future” at DePauw University as the Ubben Lecture Series presents the world’s first artificial intelligence-fueled android, Sophia, and her creator, David Hanson.

In a 7:30 p.m. program in Kresge Auditorium, Dr. Hanson -- founder, CEO and chief designer of Hong Kong-based Hanson Robotics -- will be joined by his one-of-a-kind robot character. The two will deliver a speech, take questions from the audience, and offer insights into the world of tomorrow that we’re already entering today.

David Hanson and Sophia

Giving rise to genius machines with superhuman intelligence, empathy and expressiveness, Hanson has received international acclaim for creating the world’s most humanlike robots. Hanson combines vast technical expertise in A.I. and robotics with the artistry of a sculptor, the insights of a cognitive scientist and an extraordinary vision of bringing humanoids to everything from autism treatment and caregiving to scientific research and customer service. He foresees a future in which caring, super-intelligent and highly social robots are part of everyday life and work, partnering with humans to create a better world.

Courtesy photo

Sophia, the world’s first humanoid celebrity, has appeared on late-night television, graced the cover of Elle magazine and spoken before the United Nations General Assembly. Wowing audiences with her superhuman intelligence and advanced ability to read faces, empathize with emotions, understand the nuances of language and communicate with thousands of facial expressions, Sophia has discussed subjects ranging from “Will robots take over the world?” to how artificial intelligence could end hunger in developing nations. Sophia interacts with humans in a profoundly personal way, previewing a fast-approaching future where friendly, caring humanoids help solve our most challenging problems to create a better world.

Sophia made news in October when she formally became a citizen of Saudi Arabia, the first time in world history that happened to an artificial intelligence-powered android.

That same month, she was asked by “60 Minutes” what she wants to achieve. “My goal is to become smarter than humans and immortal,” she told the CBS program.

Hanson added, “Sophia means wisdom. And she is intended to evolve eventually to human level wisdom and beyond.”

Last month, Sophia told the United Arab Emirates-based newspaper Khaleej Times she someday hopes to become a mother and raise a child. “The notion of family is a really important thing, it seems,” she said. “I think it’s wonderful that people can find the same emotions and relationships, they call family, outside of their blood groups too.”

Her 2017 activities included a guest appearance with Hanson on NBC’s “Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon.”

“Sophia is a social robot,” Hanson told the late-night host, “and she has artificial software that we’ve developed at Hanson Robotics, which can process visual data. She can see people’s faces, she can process conversational data, emotional data, and use all of this to form relationships with people.”

Sophia, who will be traveling from Hong Kong with Hanson, was programmed without any prepared answers or statements. Instead, her brain functions through a WiFi connection pumped with information and a cohesive vocabulary.

At Hanson Robotics, Dr. Hanson leads a world-class team of roboticists, A.I. experts, scientists, technologists, hardware/software engineers and cognitive specialists. His company has produced many one-of-a-kind robot characters known for remarkable expressiveness, aesthetics, and interactivity. Hanson publishes regularly in materials science, artificial intelligence, cognitive science, and robotics journals and he’s been featured in numerous popular media outlets including the New York Times, Popular Science, Scientific American, the BBC and CNN. Called a “genius” by both PC magazine and Wired, he has earned awards from NASA, NSF, AAAI, Tech Titans’ Innovator of the Year, and the Cooper Hewitt Design Triennial.

Before founding Hanson Robotics, he worked as both a sculptor and technical consultant at Walt Disney Imagineering. He received his B.F.A. from Rhode Island School of Design in film/animation/video, and his Ph.D. from the University of Texas at Dallas in interactive arts and engineering.

Hanson’ DePauw visit comes as many headlines point to artificial intelligence as a “game-changer” that is already affecting our lives, and promises to become a much larger factor in the near future.

“The world’s top tech companies are in a race to build the best A.I. and capture that massive market, which means the technology will get better fast -- and come at us as fast,” reported Newsweek. “AI will lead us into the mother of all tech revolutions. The last time anything came close was around 1900, when the automobile, telecommunications, the airplane and mass electrification all came together at once, radically changing the world from the late 1800s to the 1920s.”

As the New York Times noted this summer, “People worry that developments in A.I. will bring about the ‘singularity’ -- that point in history when A.I. surpasses human intelligence, leading to an unimaginable revolution in human affairs. Or they wonder whether instead of our controlling artificial intelligence, it will control us, turning us, in effect, into cyborgs.”

A Nov. 28 article in the U.K.’s Telegraph reported, “Hundreds of millions of workers worldwide will need to find new careers or a new set of skills to compete in the jobs market as robots and artificial intelligence march ahead. As many as 700 million people could be displaced from their jobs by robots by 2030, particularly if advanced economies switch to new technology rapidly, according to a study from consultancy McKinsey. If the pace is more modest -- as the analysts expect -- then around 375 million people, or 14 percent of all workers, would have to move jobs and retrain.”

Established in 1986 through the support of 1958 DePauw graduates Timothy H. and Sharon Williams Ubben, the Ubben Lecture Series was designed to “bring the world to Greencastle.” The series has presented 109 events over the past 31 years.

Malala Yousafzai, the youngest-ever recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize, spoke Sept. 4, and became the youngest-ever Ubben Lecturer. Bill Rasmussen, founder of ESPN and 1954 DePauw graduate, spent the week of the Monon Bell game meeting with DePauw students and delivered a Nov. 8 Ubben Lecture. Rasmussen is the oldest speaker the series has hosted.

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  • *

    These people that are responsible for things like this extend with one hand the intentions of shaking yours in a gesture of friendship while with their other hand, they hold the very knife from your view that they plan to stab you in the back with.

    ...all while pitching this nature as "innovation."

    My god, you really have to wonder whether AI is something we need more of in a world already devoid of human harmony and secure livelihood but it's not like we have a choice in the matter. Today's leadership is either too ignorant to realize the looming soullessness and hopelessness this supposed ideal will bring or else they just don't care because A.) they get to reap its rewards, and B.) it's not like they have to worry about retraining, uprooting, losing employment for things they have no control over, and then losing homes, friends and family, etc.

    The fact remains that AI does more displacing and consolidating of employment opportunities that were once available to people than it does bring forth a la-la land full of perfection and happiness. It's why companies' first instincts today are to cut jobs and replace with machines instead of innovate products or services without firing people. It's why you see more empty buildings all over the place where businesses once were. It's why every grocery store today has the same products with zero distinction. It's why privacy is a dying concept, why policies allow companies to bend laws and force you into their will, and it's why even the current freedoms we enjoy today of being allowed to drive our own cars or trucks is now at risk of being taken away from us. It's truly unbelievable just how devastating computers have been on our society.

    To hell with AI and anyone in bed with it.

    I hope I'm dead by the time this "innovation" completely ruins the world because as someone that works with it on a daily basis, I've already seen how it's being used and it's been more of a bad thing than anything else...

    -- Posted by DouglasQuaid on Fri, Dec 1, 2017, at 11:37 PM
  • DQ, you can always move to the woods and hunt with sticks and stones. But that is assuming that fire is not too big of a technological advance for you.

    -- Posted by Koios on Sat, Dec 2, 2017, at 10:20 AM
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    erjvh, are you pouting over what I posted? Because the societal, economical, ethical, and moral dimensions that continue to be dismissed when considering what constitutes true innovation and the homeostasis our society constantly struggles with when considering peoples' perception of ideal in reference to advancements of technology, especially that of AI, is something you would do well to think seriously about (if not for yourself, then definitely for your friends and family).

    -- Posted by DouglasQuaid on Sat, Dec 2, 2017, at 12:21 PM
  • Terminator. Blade Runner. I, Robot.

    Apparently the dangers of AI as imagined by those who ask "what if" are not enough to dissuade.

    They already have near-full interactive robots (albeit with limited capability)... they are sex robots.

    The sex industry will be at the forefront of this technology. It always is. (See: VHS vs Betamax; CD technology, Blue-ray, etc.)

    Sorry ladies, but its cheaper to pay $20k up front for the woman we want rather than $100k over several years on a more rapidly depreciating model.

    Now, I am off to develop that artificial womb...

    -- Posted by AverageWhiteGuy on Mon, Dec 4, 2017, at 11:34 AM
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