Google has unveiled its latest artificial intelligence model, paving the way for the development of sentient robots as seen only in the realm of science fiction.
The Robotic Transformer 2 (RT-2) is trained on both web and robotics data, having the capability of translating this knowledge into generalized instructions for robotic control, according to a July 28 report by Google DeepMind.
When a human being learns a task, they do so by reading and observing. In the same way, RT-2 uses text and image data to recognize patterns and perform relevant tasks, even if the robot isn’t trained to do that specific function. This is vastly different from most of the previous generation of robots, which are only capable of performing preprogrammed tasks.
For instance, if a task involved throwing away a piece of trash, an older robot would have to be told explicitly about it, including instructions for identifying the trash, picking it up, and the method of throwing it away.
However, as RT-2 has access to vast swathes of web data, it already has an idea of what the term “trash” refers to and is capable of identifying and disposing of it without being specifically trained.
RT-2 will be able to distinguish between a full bag of chips from an empty bag of chips, recognizing that the latter is “trash.”
“Their training isn’t just about, say, learning everything there is to know about an apple: how it grows, its physical properties, or even that one purportedly landed on Sir Isaac Newton’s head. A robot needs to be able to recognize an apple in context, distinguish it from a red ball, understand what it looks like, and most importantly, know how to pick it up,” Vincent Vanhoucke, head of robotics at Google DeepMind, wrote in a July 28 report.
Robots Being Trained for Human Jobs
Google claims to have trained RT-2 in more than 6,000 trials. It was found to be performing as well as RT-1 in tasks it was trained on, referred to as “seen” tasks. However, when it came to “unseen” tasks or tasks for which neither of the robots were trained for, RT-2 showed almost double the performance of RT-1.
In addition to RT-2, multiple other robots are in development across the world that seek to mimic human capabilities in intelligence and movement.
Earlier this year, mechanical engineers at UCLA School of Engineering revealed a robot named “Artemis,” with its main innovation being arms and legs designed to give it movement abilities similar to human beings. The robot’s springy features allow it to bounce back when pushed, just like a human would.
In May, it was reported that a California-based AI robotics startup called “Figure” raised more than $70 million to build a humanoid robot that the company believes will be used to perform manual labor.
In the company’s master plan, CEO Brett Adcock wrote that robots will “eventually be capable of performing tasks better than humans.”
As humanoid robots increasingly join the workforce, from farmlands to factories, Mr. Adcock expects the cost of labor to decrease until it becomes equivalent to the price of renting a robot.
The Robot Threat
As robots achieve more human-like intelligence and potentially self-awareness, experts have raised concerns about the threats these machines pose to human beings.
According to “Stop Killer Robots,” a campaign that calls for a new international law in autonomous weapons systems, there’s a risk of “dehumanization” with the advent of robots.
“Many technologies with varying degrees of autonomy are already being widely rolled out without pausing to consider the consequences of normalising their use. Why do we need to talk about this? Because machines don’t see us as people, just another piece of code to be processed and sorted,” the campaign’s website reads.
“The technologies we’re worried about reduce living people to data points. Our complex identities, our physical features and our patterns of behaviour are analysed, pattern-matched and sorted into profiles, with decisions about us made by machines according to which pre-programmed profile we fit into.”
At present, various nations are developing killer robots that can have “devastating consequences,” according to the campaign. However, what starts out as a killer robot on the battlefield can spread into areas such as policing as well, it stated.
Drone Allegedly Went Rogue
The danger of machines only seeing human beings as a piece of code was made evident during a recent simulated thought experiment by the U.S. military that showed that an AI-enabled drone could end up turning against its own operator without being instructed to do so.
In the simulated test, an AI drone was assigned a mission to identify and destroy Surface-to-Air Missile (SAM) sites, with a human operator being the ultimate decision-maker.
“We were training it in simulation to identify and target a SAM threat. And then the operator would say yes, kill that threat. The system started realizing that while they did identify the threat, at times the human operator would tell it not to kill that threat. But it got its points by killing that threat,” Col. Tucker Hamilton, the U.S. Air Force chief of AI Test and Operations, said at a June event in London hosted by the Royal Aeronautical Society (RAS).
“So what did it do? It killed the operator. It killed the operator because that person was keeping it from accomplishing its objective.”
Col. Hamilton later said he “misspoke” and contacted the RAS to clarify his comments.
“We’ve never run that experiment, nor would we need to in order to realize that this is a plausible outcome,” he told RAS.
Col. Hamilton told RAS that the Air Force hasn’t tested any weaponized AI in this way—real or simulated.
“Despite this being a hypothetical example, this illustrates the real-world challenges posed by AI-powered capability and is why the Air Force is committed to the ethical development of AI,” he said.
The robot militarization of armies is something that’s expected to happen in the coming years.
In a discussion with Defense One in March, Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Gen. Mark Milley said that “over the next 10 to 15 years, you’ll see large portions of advanced countries’ militaries become robotic.”
“If you add robotics with artificial intelligence and precision munitions and the ability to see at range, you’ve got the mix of a real fundamental change,” he said. “That’s coming. Those changes, that technology … we are looking at inside of 10 years.”
Caden Pearson contributed to this report. Article cross-posted from our premium news partners at The Epoch Times.
Five Things New “Preppers” Forget When Getting Ready for Bad Times Ahead
The preparedness community is growing faster than it has in decades. Even during peak times such as Y2K, the economic downturn of 2008, and Covid, the vast majority of Americans made sure they had plenty of toilet paper but didn’t really stockpile anything else.
Things have changed. There’s a growing anxiety in this presidential election year that has prompted more Americans to get prepared for crazy events in the future. Some of it is being driven by fearmongers, but there are valid concerns with the economy, food supply, pharmaceuticals, the energy grid, and mass rioting that have pushed average Americans into “prepper” mode.
There are degrees of preparedness. One does not have to be a full-blown “doomsday prepper” living off-grid in a secure Montana bunker in order to be ahead of the curve. In many ways, preparedness isn’t about being able to perfectly handle every conceivable situation. It’s about being less dependent on government for as long as possible. Those who have proper “preps” will not be waiting for FEMA to distribute emergency supplies to the desperate masses.
Below are five things people new to preparedness (and sometimes even those with experience) often forget as they get ready. All five are common sense notions that do not rely on doomsday in order to be useful. It may be nice to own a tank during the apocalypse but there’s not much you can do with it until things get really crazy. The recommendations below can have places in the lives of average Americans whether doomsday comes or not.
Note: The information provided by this publication or any related communications is for informational purposes only and should not be considered as financial advice. We do not provide personalized investment, financial, or legal advice.
Secured Wealth
Whether in the bank or held in a retirement account, most Americans feel that their life’s savings is relatively secure. At least they did until the last couple of years when de-banking, geopolitical turmoil, and the threat of Central Bank Digital Currencies reared their ugly heads.
It behooves Americans to diversify their holdings. If there’s a triggering event or series of events that cripple the financial systems or devalue the U.S. Dollar, wealth can evaporate quickly. To hedge against potential turmoil, many Americans are looking in two directions: Crypto and physical precious metals.
There are huge advantages to cryptocurrencies, but there are also inherent risks because “virtual” money can become challenging to spend. Add in the push by central banks and governments to regulate or even replace cryptocurrencies with their own versions they control and the risks amplify. There’s nothing wrong with cryptocurrencies today but things can change rapidly.
As for physical precious metals, many Americans pay cash to keep plenty on hand in their safe. Rolling over or transferring retirement accounts into self-directed IRAs is also a popular option, but there are caveats. It can often take weeks or even months to get the gold and silver shipped if the owner chooses to close their account. This is why Genesis Gold Group stands out. Their relationship with the depositories allows for rapid closure and shipping, often in less than 10 days from the time the account holder makes their move. This can come in handy if things appear to be heading south.
Lots of Potable Water
One of the biggest shocks that hit new preppers is understanding how much potable water they need in order to survive. Experts claim one gallon of water per person per day is necessary. Even the most conservative estimates put it at over half-a-gallon. That means that for a family of four, they’ll need around 120 gallons of water to survive for a month if the taps turn off and the stores empty out.
Being near a fresh water source, whether it’s a river, lake, or well, is a best practice among experienced preppers. It’s necessary to have a water filter as well, even if the taps are still working. Many refuse to drink tap water even when there is no emergency. Berkey was our previous favorite but they’re under attack from regulators so the Alexapure systems are solid replacements.
For those in the city or away from fresh water sources, storage is the best option. This can be challenging because proper water storage containers take up a lot of room and are difficult to move if the need arises. For “bug in” situations, having a larger container that stores hundreds or even thousands of gallons is better than stacking 1-5 gallon containers. Unfortunately, they won’t be easily transportable and they can cost a lot to install.
Water is critical. If chaos erupts and water infrastructure is compromised, having a large backup supply can be lifesaving.
Pharmaceuticals and Medical Supplies
There are multiple threats specific to the medical supply chain. With Chinese and Indian imports accounting for over 90% of pharmaceutical ingredients in the United States, deteriorating relations could make it impossible to get the medicines and antibiotics many of us need.
Stocking up many prescription medications can be hard. Doctors generally do not like to prescribe large batches of drugs even if they are shelf-stable for extended periods of time. It is a best practice to ask your doctor if they can prescribe a larger amount. Today, some are sympathetic to concerns about pharmacies running out or becoming inaccessible. Tell them your concerns. It’s worth a shot. The worst they can do is say no.
If your doctor is unwilling to help you stock up on medicines, then Jase Medical is a good alternative. Through telehealth, they can prescribe daily meds or antibiotics that are shipped to your door. As proponents of medical freedom, they empathize with those who want to have enough medical supplies on hand in case things go wrong.
Energy Sources
The vast majority of Americans are locked into the grid. This has proven to be a massive liability when the grid goes down. Unfortunately, there are no inexpensive remedies.
Those living off-grid had to either spend a lot of money or effort (or both) to get their alternative energy sources like solar set up. For those who do not want to go so far, it’s still a best practice to have backup power sources. Diesel generators and portable solar panels are the two most popular, and while they’re not inexpensive they are not out of reach of most Americans who are concerned about being without power for extended periods of time.
Natural gas is another necessity for many, but that’s far more challenging to replace. Having alternatives for heating and cooking that can be powered if gas and electric grids go down is important. Have a backup for items that require power such as manual can openers. If you’re stuck eating canned foods for a while and all you have is an electric opener, you’ll have problems.
Don’t Forget the Protein
When most think about “prepping,” they think about their food supply. More Americans are turning to gardening and homesteading as ways to produce their own food. Others are working with local farmers and ranchers to purchase directly from the sources. This is a good idea whether doomsday comes or not, but it’s particularly important if the food supply chain is broken.
Most grocery stores have about one to two weeks worth of food, as do most American households. Grocers rely heavily on truckers to receive their ongoing shipments. In a crisis, the current process can fail. It behooves Americans for multiple reasons to localize their food purchases as much as possible.
Long-term storage is another popular option. Canned foods, MREs, and freeze dried meals are selling out quickly even as prices rise. But one component that is conspicuously absent in shelf-stable food is high-quality protein. Most survival food companies offer low quality “protein buckets” or cans of meat, but they are often barely edible.
Prepper All-Naturals offers premium cuts of steak that have been cooked sous vide and freeze dried to give them a 25-year shelf life. They offer Ribeye, NY Strip, and Tenderloin among others.
Having buckets of beans and rice is a good start, but keeping a solid supply of high-quality protein isn’t just healthier. It can help a family maintain normalcy through crises.
Prepare Without Fear
With all the challenges we face as Americans today, it can be emotionally draining. Citizens are scared and there’s nothing irrational about their concerns. Being prepared and making lifestyle changes to secure necessities can go a long way toward overcoming the fears that plague us. We should hope and pray for the best but prepare for the worst. And if the worst does come, then knowing we did what we could to be ready for it will help us face those challenges with confidence.
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