I have been reading a lot about AI. The New York Times has also had some podcasts about AI. But something important is missing from the conversation. We can thank Seth MacFarlane for creating The Orville. That show started the conversation, now it's time to finish it.
The Orville (TV Series 2017–2022) - IMDb
The Orville takes place 400 years in the future. MacFarlane Created it with Star Trek vibes. It talks about a lot of different topics but often reflects on today. That includes a 2015-time capsule episode that is must-see. It has 3 seasons and is on HULU but there are negotiations for a 4th season.
The Orville is a spaceship. The fleet of spaceships is for the union, a collection of people from different plants. Like a planetary UN. Admirals hold the same positions as in the current US Navy. It is structured off of the US Navy. MacFarlane is Captain Ed Mercer. Having given that position in the first episode. The show gets you thinking about real life. That's why it is so awesome. Here are my thoughts.
1. They have synthesizers that can make anything you want. All needs are addressed. In multiple episodes, especially the final one, they talk about how that is only possible because they do not have a currency. No money means everyone's needs are met. People's worth is on the work they volunteer to do. In that final episode they talk about how if you introduce this technology too soon, the rich and greedy will hog the technology and make things worse for those who can't afford it. That is my biggest fear about AI right now. It is being introduced too soon. The rich are using it to enrich themselves at the expense of the rest of us. We were warned about this years ago, in The Orville. We can be ready for it, once greed and selfishness are replaced by a desire for everyone to have everything they need.
2. Let's talk further about that lack of currency. In many episodes they go to a new planet and that is a surprise. But economic gaps getting bigger and bigger have created the have and the have nots. The rich can weather these rough financial times while many others are ruined by them. When progressives talk about a universal income. I think of this. What they are really saying is "everyone should have the same amount of money or at least enough to afford what they need". I say what we need is to eliminate the need for currency in the first place. Wealth is about status. Will the wealthy ever agree to those making less suddenly not needing money for a good life at all? The Orville is a roadmap to how to accomplish that. Because on the show, status is about integrity and the work you do, not your income.
3. The Orville the ship is an exploratory vessel. It observes other planets from afar and documents what it can. They have an important rule with a strong punishment. You can't be seen by life on the planet, or you have to blend in like you live there. Some planets have people not ready to know there is life on other planets. There are exceptions for emergencies. The final episode of season 1 talks about this. But I compare this to all the real-life military people who have seen unidentifiable flying objects and have concluded that we are likely really being observed by alien life, but they have determined we are not ready to meet them yet. If you want them to change their minds, treat immigrants better and drop all racism. They won't come if they won't be welcomed.
A lot of the technology in the show uses AI. Later evolutions of AI. In real life AI is developing too fast too soon. It's causing a lot of needless harm because of it. It is the only thing supporting the stock market right now and that is the exact problem the show talks about frequently. The greed, the lack of oversight, all of it could very well lead to the kind of wars and revolutions that destroy the planet. No wonder all the AI billionaires want to build spaceships to escape. Sorry bros, the only fix for this is to stabilize income equality. That universal income should be paid for by AI corporations and their CEOs. Exclusively. Or, better yet, follow The Orville's advice and eliminate all currency and need for any financial transactions of any type.
Make all of the necessities free for everyone.
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