One of the defining features of humanity is our unquenchable thirst for knowledge and exploration. From the first humans who trekked outside of Africa, to setting foot on the moon, to sailing the seven seas and drawing the map as they went along, humans have always wondered what lies beyond the horizon. We use telescopes and microscopes to study what the boundaries of reality are, always searching, always wondering.

With the advent of strong artificial intelligence looming in the near distance, we now have the prospect of decentralizing these knowledge gathering activities, relying more on the ‘brain’ power of the AI to paint a fuller picture of the reality we inhabit.

Imagine fully autonomous machines exploring, studying and analysing every aspect of reality. Going places our weak meat-sack bodies are incapable of and working over time spans and distances that would be impractical for us to do alone.

Here are some speculative ideas on how this type of AI exploration could affect our understanding of everything:

SPACE

This list of solar system probes [1] that humans have launched since the 60’s is pretty humbling. Hundreds of little robots going out into the great unknown to try and figure out what the hell this universe thing is all about. Now imagine how that will look once those probes are fully autonomous. They would have the ability to search, document and relay their findings, responding in real time to what challenges and obstacles are in front of them.

Much like TARS in Interstellar, these machines could see what it is like to be inside a black hole. They could roam around distant planets, choosing their own paths, and maybe meeting any locals on the way. They’d be the fearless frontiersman of a new generation.

THE OCEAN

Similarly to space exploration, ocean exploration with independently thinking robots will allow us to go places that no human has been. The oceans cover over two thirds of our planet, yet we know so little about it. According to the NOAA, less than 5% of the big drink has been explored [2] leaving so much to be discovered. You’ve got to think that there’s some seriously freaky life down there, hopefully including some insane giant dinosaurs! Aside from that, think of all the important geological information that could be gleaned.

HUMAN BIOLOGY

Remember those medical pods in Elysium [3]? Imagine taking an MRI full body scanner and adding intelligence to it. Over time, it’d be able to explore, track and analyze every development in our bodies AND then suggest any treatments that may be needed.

ANTHROPOLOGY

Further turning the lens inwards, AI may also be helpful in showing us what it means to be human. They could study our behaviour over long periods of time and come up with hard data that could be extremely useful. New patterns and models could emerge to objectively show us what we are like, what our capabilities are and possibly how we could improve. Think of things like how to layout cities for maximum happiness, transport and work efficiency etc.

ZOOLOGY

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the projected number of Zoologists in the U.S. for 2020 will be around 20,000 [4]. Considering the amount of known species in the world is in the millions [5], that leaves a gigantic gap in our knowledge of all the life around us. Knowledge that not only would be cool on an intellectual level, but could fundamentally change our world.

Imagine if autonomous AI robots could go out and study animals and plants in their natural environments for decades on end. We may find out that other animals are indeed aware of their own mortality. We may even be able to learn their languages and communicate with them directly, understanding how they think. There may also be technological breakthroughs with bio-mimicry, as well as new outlooks on societal structures.

FILLING IN THE BLANKS

In the grand scheme of all things that are knowable, we know next to nothing. Literally, as close to zero as you can get. We mostly don’t have a fucking clue, BUT the scientific method is about trying to understand, and artificial intelligence could help us remove our physical limitations in the quest for knowledge.

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BY CHRIS ROBINSON