Assignment 3: artificial intelligence Cheryl and Kaiting

Summary
Artificial-Intelligence (AI) brings about many possible benefits to the society. Currently, we are already surrounded by AI systems in the technology that we own. Recent breakthroughs include self-driving cars, digital personal assistants Siri and robots that function like humans. A huge benefit would be the magnification of human intelligence through the many tools that AI could provide. However, other than the many benefits AI has, in near the term, world militaries are considering autonomous-weapon systems that can choose and eliminate targets although the UN and Human Rights Watch have advocated a treaty banning such weapons. In the new upcoming age of AI, the short-term impact of AI depends on who controls it, the long-term impact depends on whether it can be controlled at all. AI may transform our economy to bring both great wealth and great dislocation.
Readers Response Do you think Stephen Hawking’s fears are unfounded? Whose stand do you take and why?
Stephen Hawking's fears are refutable. I acknowledge the potential risks he has raised, however, in order to attain success for anything, be it in education or science or life, one cannot avoid taking risks, and the same applies to artificial intelligence. In the future, with the aid of artificial intelligence, many manual work can be replaced by artificial intelligence systems. Although this would bring about much convenience and raise efficiency and productivity in industries, many will become jobless as a result as well. This is just one of the many prominent problems advancements in artificial intelligence could bring about. However, we cannot overlook the fact that artificial intelligence has created many things which we rely on heavily today, from providing services to aid in healthcare to reducing labour in household chores. Therefore, as long as we can effectively cope with these potential risks, we can still take venture and advance more in artificial intelligence and come up with more creations to benefit mankind. Laws and policies can be strongly enforced to ensure that creations of artificial intelligence are not misused. Thus, I take the stand of Adam Gibson because he feels that although such technology has many drawbacks to it, without it, we cannot possibly face and resolve many of the complex problems today. Even if artificial intelligence is dangerous to venture into, we have already gone too far into this field and there's no more turning back, we can only go further and try to avoid the dangers lurking along the way.

Assignment 2: "Barbie, Sexualisation and Body Image: The Debates Rage On" - Cheryl Chua Xin Ting & Hum Kai Ting (4B)

Summarise the criticisms made against Barbie by the author or from the links provided in the article.

The author feels that issues such as barbie's proportions creating unrealistic body standards, her whiteness, her role in the fight against the pink aisle, against gendered toys, have always been surfacing. She also feels that the live action film starring Barbie would definitely inspire debate, between feminists for this sexualised image of impossible beauty and others about empowerment and feminism. The author also feels that the feminist debate about Barbie might gradually be the factor in keeping her iconic if sales continue to plummet and the mother's attitude that has the most impact on their children's health, not the toy. The author also feels that Barbie is symbolic to all, symbolizing a vessel to contain our stories and she is just a doll not feminist or role model unless we choose her to be one.

If the author is correct, what can people do to resolve the issues raised in the article about the sexualisation of dolls, like Barbie?
Like the author's opinion, I feel that ultimately, Barbie is nothing but a doll. The way adults and children view things differently, causing adults to be paranoid over things that should not exist- until it has been brought under public attention. Children, being pure-minded and innocent, see Barbie as a playmate and nothing more, occasionally wanting to "dress up" their dolls or give them a "new look". There are no thoughts of feminism in their minds. However, with the adults' view on the clothes and jobs "given" to Barbie considered feminist, these innocent children are constantly exposed to the side of their toys they would have never thought of. Hence, I feel that before condemning Barbie as a symbol of feminism, adults should first view toys as just toys, not symbols. The author stated that mothers are using Barbie the way their daughters do, as a symbol, a vessel to contain their stories. I feel that the author is implying that the way Barbie is actually used is different, as mothers use them as a symbol of feminism, or a vessel keeping their past memories filled with feminist ideas, while their daughters use them as a symbol of their pure childhood filled with increasing ideas of women independence. Therefore, I feel that instead of harping on the past ideas, mothers should acknowledge that now Barbie is just a doll, and nothing more.

Assignment 1: Obama to Call for End to N.S.A.’s Bulk Data Collection - Cheryl Chua & Kai Ting (4B)

SUMMARY

Ever since the revelation by ex-N.S.A contractor Edward J Snowden, the fact that the American government has been keeping bulk records of the American citizens' calling habits has been faced with many oppositions. The Obama administration is preparing to unveil a new legislative proposal to replace the soon expiring 215 program, which has been listed as illegal by an independent federal privacy watchdog. Under the proposal, it states that the N.S.A would end it's systematic collection of data of the Americans' calling habits but instead the bulk records would stay in the hands of the phone companies, which would not be required to retain the data for any longer than they normally would. With a new kind of court order, the N.S.A could only obtain the records with permission from a judge and would require phone companies to swiftly provide the records in technologically compatible data format, including data about any new calls placed or received after the order is received. However, this proposal would not affect other forms of bulk collection of records under the same provision.

READER'S RESPONSE

By collecting every and any Americans' phone records for a time as long as five years illegally, is in fact a major breach of not just Americans, but any individual's basic right to privacy. If phone records of Americans are to be collected in bulk without each and every affected individual's consent, it is taking someone's belonging without permission which is in a way, a form of theft. Besides, it has been mentioned in the web article that such actions are deemed illegal by America's laws, if it is illegal, it should definitely be stopped and thus not justified for the N.S.A to continue collecting phone records of all Americans. Even though it is said that the huge amount of phone records stored by the N.S.A is necessary to aid in the government's investigations in terrorism and to help prevent large scale attacks, there have been many examples questioning the necessity of the bulk collection of phone records by the N.S.A due to its ineffectiveness. For example, in 2010, Basaaly Moalin was alleged of numerous conspiracies to provide support to al-Shabaab, a Somali terrorist organization. At trial, prosecutors alleged that Basaaly Moalin spoke by telephone to Aden Ayrow, a al-Shabaab leader, and that Basaaly Moalin then transferred an estimated $8,500 to the organization. In this case, the N.S.A's bulk collection of phone records were utilized to associate a number in the organization to the suspect, however, the authorities found themselves in a two months wait to start investigations and then wiretap Bassaly Moalin's phone. This is an evident example showing that the N.S.A is in fact not necessary in investigations and thus has no valid purpose or reason to mass collect Americans' phone records and should not be justified.