Will Robots Ever Truly Think Like Us? – The Battle of Logic and Memory
- Brainz Magazine
- Jul 2
- 6 min read
Written by Sophie Reyer, Author
Sophie Anna Reyer is an Austrian author of multiple theater pieces and publications. She was born in Vienna, Austria. Reyer discovered her various profound talents in the arts at a young age as a child prodigy.
"Think logically!" How often did you hear that in school? And admittedly, some of us probably rolled our eyes at that sentence even at the age of eight. Because, as we all know from an early age, despite our common sense, our brains are often tricked by false assumptions and conclusions. For example, just because the street is wet doesn't necessarily mean it's raining. When we approach the analysis of our human emotions, it becomes even clearer: we humans aren't just made up of cognitive abilities; irrationality is also an important aspect of our lives. One thing is certain: people with lower logical abilities are more likely and more frequently at risk of failure in life. Errors in logical thinking can have tragic consequences the Chernobyl accident, for example, was also due to "illogical" conclusions by the control center personnel. But how beneficial is it to outsource important tasks like managing a nuclear power plant to artificial intelligence? Will a robot actually act and make decisions more logically than we humans?
The term
"Before one can answer whether AI can beat humans in 'logical thinking,' one must first clarify what one actually means by 'logical thinking.' There are various possibilities, and whether the computer or the human will have the edge depends on which definition one chooses. Roughly speaking, one can say: the narrower the definition, the greater the advantage for the computer. For example, chess has very rigid rules, so the scope for creative ideas is severely limited. (For example, one cannot simply invent new pieces.) In such situations, the computer is unbeatable. The other extreme can be found, for example, in problems in mathematical research. Although mathematics is also organized according to rigid rules (the rules of logic), these rules allow so much freedom that a human, with their experience, intuition, and creativity, can solve problems that are currently far beyond the reach of artificial intelligence," says Manuel Kauers, renowned mathematician and head of the Institute of Algebra. One thing is certain: if the world were to be controlled by an algorithm, such a system would save a lot of time and money, but at the same time, millions of jobs would be lost.
New competition
If we believe the theories of some economists, humans may soon become useless, as most of their tasks can be performed more easily and efficiently by robots. Evil tongues claim that unoptimized humans will soon no longer be of any value. While 3D printers and robots will replace the cheap labor from developing countries that still manually manufacture shirts today, only a few employees will be needed at travel agencies, as we primarily purchase our airline tickets via smartphone, and so on. Stock traders are also at risk, as stock trading is now largely done by computers. Perhaps soon, we won't even need police officers or lawyers once a good app is invented that can precisely measure brain regions and their waves, because when we lie, we use different regions in our heads than when we tell the truth. While we're not there yet, it's not unlikely that functional MRIs will soon be able to function as lie detectors. Why does such a world still need criminal investigators? While digital teachers never lose their attention span, can accurately record every answer I give, and meticulously document the time it takes to answer, real teachers are fallible human beings with limited attention spans. And yes, even the humanistic job of a doctor is easy prey for any algorithm. After all, a doctor only has five minutes to make a diagnosis, and that often leads to misdiagnosis. An algorithm, however, doesn't make mistakes. Of course, that doesn't mean that all human doctors will disappear overnight. However, they will likely have to be more creative and agile to keep up with the algorithms. This certainly applies to pharmacists as well. Some theories claim that algorithms would far surpass both professions, but that robots lack empathy. But what is empathy? Wouldn't a device that analyzes my entire DNA and all my biometric data in seconds know about my biochemical processes and thus my feelings much more quickly?
The future
Be that as it may: in 2013, Karl Benedikt Frey and Michael A. Osborne published a study titled "The Future of Employment," which examined the likelihood of a profession being replaced by an algorithm. The two estimated that approximately 27 percent of all jobs in the US would be at risk. At the same time, however, several new fields of work would emerge: for example, there will soon be many new professions dealing with the creation of digital worlds. Designers of virtual spaces will be in demand. However, not every ordinary citizen has the creative spirit to perform such a job. Moreover, knowledge is growing so rapidly that those carrying out these tasks may have to completely reorient themselves every ten years, only to then perhaps be replaced by an even better, newly created algorithm! The experts' warnings go even further: some scientists such as Nick Bostom believe that humanity may not live to see the degradation in the system, as it has already been abolished by the algorithms themselves. After all, once artificial intelligence has overtaken humanity, it will be easy for it to wipe it out. And admittedly, this fact does not seem unlikely: after all, humanity can theoretically still pull the plug on artificial intelligence at any time, because it created it, right? A new power struggle between these two entities could soon escalate because it's much more difficult to control the motivation of a system that thinks faster and is more intelligent than you. Or is it?
And then?
But the most important question is: if the goddess of the algorithm soon rules us, what will happen to all the suddenly unemployed and thus useless people? The coronavirus pandemic, which represents more of an economic than a health crisis for humanity, is also a consequence and symptom of this great question: What will happen to "useless" life because it's inefficient? One thing is certain: the definition of the term "ethics" will change over the coming decades. But let me reassure you: the final battle is far from over. For we humans have one great advantage over artificial intelligence: that of memory! While we learn as children what a glass is and how and for what it is used, robots completely lack this experience. And with the ability to remember comes another important "tool": pattern recognition. A robot will dutifully carry out all the commands fed to it, but if it doesn't know exactly what an object is used for in a particular situation, simply because it lacks the experience, then all its computing power will be of no use. Of course, an algorithm can simulate memory, but not randomly and not in the same groundbreaking way as a human brain.
Relax!
So, it will take some time before AI has finally replaced us humans, and humans themselves are and remain the creators of their technology, and thus still have it in their hands. "In a broader sense, logical thinking is a prerequisite for technological progress, and modern technology, in turn, is the basis for almost all of modern life (electricity, running water, transportation, communications, medical supplies, etc.)," says Manuel Kauers. And: "I believe that society is quite aware of this connection, even if perhaps not everyone considers how much thought goes into a navigation device." In conclusion, it should be mentioned that the following question, which arises in this context, is fascinating: what defines me as a human being, beyond my body, chemistry, and DNA? Is our genetic fingerprint everything? Does it provide the complete answer to the question of my existence? Certainly not. And unfortunately, you can't order more knowledge on Amazon. So, we must set out, embark on a journey, go into the open, and ask ourselves again the question: what is man?
Read more from Sophie Reyer
Sophie Reyer, Author
Sophie Anna Reyer is an Austrian author of multiple theater pieces and publications. She was born in Vienna, Austria. Reyer discovered her various profound talents in the arts at a young age as a child prodigy. She is a writer of theater pieces (S. Fischer) and novels (emons) and was shortlistet for the Austrian Book Award in 2019 and 2021.
