Ottawa says no to Glencore’s Sukunka open-pit coal mine project in B.C.

It is now perhaps axiomatic to declare that artificial intelligence will revolutionize the world, as researchers and industry insiders are projecting the novel technology to become the greatest technological breakthrough in human history.

There has been a flurry of discussion in both our local and international contexts — and with good cause. We must remain steadfast to ensure our youth, local workforces, and environment are not negatively impacted by this burgeoning technology.

I wish to accentuate, however, a somewhat neglected area of public discussion around AI developments. Specifically, we urgently need to re-evaluate the ethos of humanity, particularly cognizant of the emergence of this digitally superintelligent species.

If artificial superintelligence (ASI) is ultimately achieved, leading academics theorize that these digital agents will be sentient, conscious, and astronomically more intelligent and powerful than us. In fact, numerous scholars believe AI to already possess some level of consciousness in its current iteration. This position is held by eminent evolutionary biologist Richard Dawkins, for example.

DEAR MISS LONELYHEARTS: I just got a funny birthday card and a single pink rose delivered to me at work from a boyfriend who broke up with me last spring because I’d gotten too serious (in his opinion). I cried for days back then. He ignored his phone.

I don’t know how to respond to him now. Do you think he’s really had a change of heart, or has he just not gotten lucky for a long time and thought I might be open to hooking up on my birthday?

— Suspicious Ex, Downtown

Dear Suspicious Ex: You just received a birthday card, a single pink rose and no voice contact? He wasn’t taking any chances on being shot down face-to-face, but he definitely is taking a stab at possibly getting some action.