Transhumanism Without Mind Uploading and Immortality

Elon Musk regularly advertises for the simulation argument, stressing that he regards it as highly likely that we live in a computer simulation. However, it must be noted that the argument can be reconstructed such that its line of thought can be rationally grasped. This, however, does not necessarily mean that it is a plausible argument. The argument presupposes the anthropology that human beings can be uploaded onto a hard drive, which is based upon the view that humans are nothing like a software running on our body which serves as our hardware. It is this understanding of the human species which has been employed by many transhumanists who stress that immortality is near. The author will explain the line of thought underlining the simulation argument while they will, at the same time, explain that it is neither highly likely that we live in a computer simulation, nor that we can upload our personalities onto a computer, and even if this was possible, it would not enable us to become immortal.

Emerging Technology Amendment Study in Smart Agro Farming to Diagnose the Agro Product Diseases

Environmental habitation and ecosystem management are some vital issues for agro-farming. Smart monitoring of the agricultural activities is the major issue in recent years due to a range of factors including diseases growing, environmental changes, product promotion and distributions, and the apparent onset of global warming. With the advancement of new computing technologies in agricultural sectors, the smart agro farming has evolved in order to diagnose the agro product diseases, measure the moisture in the soil, measure the soil and environment temperature, measure fertilizers and pesticides, web-based product promotion and distribution, and others. The major problem is to address is the lack of the most appropriate agriculture inputs to continue the smart production activities. These inputs include farm equipment, seeds, planting materials, and livestock. Soil identification and classification are also the major factors in order to select the production of a particular crop for a specific soil type.

Predictability of AI Decisions

Artificial intelligence evolves rapidly and will have a great impact on the society in the future. One important question which still cannot be addressed with satisfaction is whether the decision of an intelligent agent can be predicted. As a consequence of this, the general question arises if such agents can be controllable and future robotic applications can be safe. This chapter shows that unpredictable systems are very common in mathematics and physics although the underlying mathematical structure can be very simple. It also shows that such unpredictability can also emerge for intelligent agents in reinforcement learning, especially for complex tasks with various input parameters. An observer would not be capable to distinguish this unpredictability from a free will of the agent. This raises ethical questions and safety issues which are briefly presented.

Artificial Intelligence

Artificial intelligence refers to the replication of human intelligence in machines that are encoded to think like humans and imitate their actions. The word may also be applied to any machine that displays qualities related to a human mind for example understanding, learning, and problem-solving. As technology advances, previous benchmarks that defined artificial intelligence become out-dated. Artificial intelligence has made its way to almost every sector and has resulted in better efficiency of the traditional processes. In this chapter, the author discusses the current applications, future prospects, and possible threats of artificial intelligence.

Estimating Visual Saliency for Omnidirectional HDR Images

A unified decomposition-and-integration-based framework is presented herein for the visual saliency estimation of omnidirectional high dynamic range (HDR) images, which allows straightforward reuse of existing saliency estimation method for typical images with narrow field-of-view and low dynamic range (LDR). First, the proposed method decomposes a given omnidirectional HDR image into multiple partially overlapping LDR images with quasi-uniform spatial resolution and without polar singularities, both spatially and in intensity using a spherical overset grid and a tone-mapping-based synthesis of imaginary multiexposure images. For each decomposed image, a standard saliency estimation method is then applied for typical images. Finally, the saliency map of each decomposed image is optimally integrated from the coordinate system of the overset grid and LDR back to the representation of the coordinate system and HDR of the original image. The proposed method is applied to actual omnidirectional HDR images and its effectiveness is demonstrated.

Brand Experience in the Internet of Things

The internet of things, as well as data from connected devices and other digital technologies, can facilitate seamless customer service, rapid problem-solving, and the more efficient deployment of skilled resources – they can offer unique and emotional brand experiences. This chapter discusses what experiences are, how the promise of experience is made, how to develop an experience interface (ExI), and why it will be in the future critical to the success of brand experiences in the internet of things.

Automated App for Mental Health Analysis

Many apps and analyzers based on machine learning have been designed already to help and cure the stress issue, which is an epidemic. The project is based on an experimental research work that the authors have performed at Research Labs and Scientific Spirituality Centers of Dev Sanskriti VishwaVidyalaya, Haridwar and Patanjali Research Foundations, Uttarakhand. In their research work, the correctness and accuracy have been studied and compared for two biofeedback devices named as electromyography (EMG) and galvanic skin response (GSR), which can operate in three modes—audio, visual, and audio-visual—with the help of data set of tension type headache (TTH) patients. They have realized by their research work that these days people have lot of stress in their life so they planned to make an effort for reducing the stress level of people by their technical knowledge of computer science. In their project, the authors have a website that contains a closed set of questionnaires from SF-36, which have some weight associated with each question.

Deciphering Factual Realities in the Process of Securitizing Artificial Intelligence

The advent of artificial intelligence has shifted the outlook of great power politics over the last decade. China and the US are the main competitors in the technology front of new 'Cold War'. Big data, 5G, quantum computing, algorithmic warfare, cybersecurity, and many other concepts are getting more topical as the day wore on. Chinese social credit system, mass surveillance systems, and exportation of these technologies to the third countries are the epicentre of the vast majority of current debates. Having said that, 'Securitization Theory' plays a pivotal role in determining the realities on the ground and how societies are being affected by the AI narratives particularly produced in media and academia. Therefore, this chapter seeks to reach appropriate answers on how to reify the current status of AI-based technologies via securitization theory's significant premises.

The Bad, the Good, and the Rebellious Bots

The researcher explores the world's first use of AI. In the “Bad Bot” section, the authors look at the negative impact of AI in politics with the first elections won in history through the use of AI's bots and trolls propaganda, and how it could bring to a more dystopian future with deepfakes. In the “Good Bot” section, they focus on positive case studies; starting with the 2021 Tokyo Olympics and health, they explore AI techniques applied from the infinitive small, Higgs Boson, to the infinitely large, dark matter; we'll meet Cimon at the Space Station; AI in climate change and pioneer UN projects such as “Earth” and “Humanitarian” AI; in education, they look at the latest use of AI helping schools and EU project “Time Machine.” They also see examples done to tackle the “Bad Bots” section looking at what is being implemented. This chapter will finally look at the world's first rebellious behaviour in bots with funny examples that will make you think.

Applications of Artificial Intelligence in Media and Entertainment

Emerging developments in AI will have a tremendous impact on the world of media and entertainment. While the general public is focused on entertainment-related technology such as virtual reality and augmented reality, perhaps more significant is the technological transformation of how media experiences are created. Many of the signals about how and where these technologies will affect our lives are below the surface, deeper inside the pre-production and post-production process. This chapter will survey some of the ways in which AI affects the stories we consume, issues of ethics and equity surrounding the use of the AI in media, and early signals that presage a tectonic shift in the business of content production.