SAI-5

When we think about robotic rovers being sent to the moon or other planets their main purpose is to do scientific experiments. It may be to do studies of the weather, the atmosphere, the geology or looking for natural resources required to sustain life.

These rovers are expensive, time consuming to design and program, and at the mercy of the launch, the voyage, the landing, the unpacking, the available energy as well as radiation, heat, and the extreme cold. They can become stuck, require long periods of time to communicate and receive new orders from a pilot millions of miles distant and need time to recharge. These are weak AI systems 

In this context, it is safer and more efficient to send an intelligent, self aware machine capable of independent thought tasked with specific goals to be achieved. It is still exposed to all the hazards mentioned above but would be better able to make decisions as required, just like a human.

All of this is great, until you factor in the one hazard not mentioned above. If that machine is truly sentient, (self aware) it becomes exposed to all the human frailties as well. The sentient machine is created by man, and by definition  a Self-aware AI involves machines that have human-level consciousness. Even though we may try to program out human emotions it's core programs of data collection and analysis will imbue human qualities and frailties into it.

Such sentient machines would probably be sent by themselves as there would be no incentive to send more than one per mission. Being sentient these robotic beings would experience loneliness, doubt, perhaps fear, and would still probably not be able to repair itself if it became damaged.

So, what’s the purpose of sending a sentient tin can on an interplanetary mission if it cannot fix itself, if it is going to experience emotion, and be there by itself?

A Reactive Machine can be utilized for most flight and colonial operational functions such as systems monitoring. A Limited Memory machine would be utilized in areas that reduce the routine operational stresses on the human such as in systems management. The Theory of Mind component could be utilized in a pulsar based navigation system and flight correction.

An autonomous machine with visual and vocal interactive capabilities would be a great asset to a human crew. With predictive and analytical abilities coupled with reactive functions, limited memory abilities and some decision making, we have Robotic crewman #1.

This all sounds futuristic doesn’t it?

Most cars have this same ability. 

Your car can take a text or present a message, record your route, plan your route, monitor traffic and recommend route changes. The car can monitor and alter environmental controls on command and your car can imprint on the drive. It can monitor and adjust vehicular functionality using traction control and automatically activate life saving apparatuses while simultaneously calling for help. In spite of all of this artificial machine intelligence it is not yet sentient, even though you can indulge in conversation with it.

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