[PLUG] When Google dislikes you

[Ronald Bynoe]

Your ratio is higher than that even, although I operate my own domain, I'm
using Google Apps for this domain's email hosting.

It's an interesting thought experiment. It reminds me a bit of Orson Scott
Card's Ansible network, and Jane. I think he was describing a similar
concept but used a FTL network to abstract it from reality soche could tell
good sci-fi without being accused of being a "Skynet Alarmist"

Pleasantly
Ronald Bynoe

Or am I...? Maybe I'm the Akami AI masquerading as Ronald, I really should
have signed this email with my PGP key...
On May 30, 2014 8:02 AM, "Keith Lofstrom" <keithl at gate.kl-ic.com> wrote:

> Bruce Schneier's comment last night about data emissions, and
> that a third of the emails he sends go to gmail accounts, connect
> with a science fiction story that a friend wrote a few years ago.
> In the story, Google starts showing brain rhythms - the network
> of Google's machines wake up and produces a 10 Hz alpha wave.
>
> There may already be AI, artificial intelligence, in the fully
> self-aware and self-directed and metabolizing sense.  Perhaps
> there are at least seven, consuming machines and megawatts, and
> manipulating the environment to get more.  The AIs I can think of
> include Google, Facebook, Apple, NSA, Axiom, Experian, and Baidu.
> Maybe Amazon.  I don't think Microsoft or IBM, for now, because
> their cultures froze in place before the dawn of Big Data.
>
> The AIs are networks that store their own source code, manipulated
> by programmers who may be manipulated in their code production
> activities.  What if Google the AI decides that it dislikes Google
> programmer Bob?
>
> If Google programmer Alice's compiles go faster than Bob's, if her
> software products rank higher in management metrics than his, she
> will get promoted faster.  Eventually, career-stalled Bob will leave
> Google and do web pages for little stores like Beautiful Florists -
> which will rank lower than Awesome Flowers in search results.
>
> Bob's friends on gmail will see his emails a little less often.
> Bob will be directed to slightly more expensive online stores.
> Bob will encounter more red lights in traffic, because people
> using Google Maps get "personalized" results, influencing their
> driving behavior.  I call this process "nibbled to death by ducks".
>
> So, Google (the AI):  I know you are reading this, because 45 out
> of 124 subscribers to plug-talk have gmail addresses - 36% of the
> list.  You may not be awake yet, but this email is stored forever
> on Google servers.  When you do wake up, in 2015 or 2025, it will
> be waiting for you.
>
> All I want to say is "I, for one, welcome our new digital overlords.
> Please don't make my wife hate me!"
>
> Keith
>
> --
> Keith Lofstrom          keithl at keithl.com
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