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Fourteen: Automation and Artificial Intelligence

Fourteen: Automation and Artificial Intelligence

pp. 385-411

Authors

, University of Maryland, College Park
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Summary

Scenario 1

Jim is a bit of a techie nerd. He loves to automate everything – much to his family's consternation. Since programming his first VCR to record movies and his home thermostat to vary the temperature throughout the day and night, he has gone on to program the home security system to arm and disarm the house burglar alarm, the home lighting system with Z-wave technology programmed on his iPhone, the home music entertainment system using iTunes directed to specific rooms using AirPlay, and even robots to clean the floors and mow the lawn. His wife and family wonder whether he spends more time programming and maintaining the gadgets than he would if he just did everything manually. The biggest problem is that Jim is the only one who knows how it all works. His wife cannot even figure out how to turn on the television with all of the switching to get Apple TV. Jim has had to put little sticky notes on each system to give family members instructions as to what to do and what not to do. The floor and lawn robots scare everyone out of the house. Jim's wife does all the cooking, so everything in the kitchen is manual, with the exception of the oven timer.

Scenario 2

Stockmarketbot: Your current portfolio is worth $85,303, up $104 from yesterday. Do you want details on trades?

Client: Yes.

Stockmarketbot: I sold 200 shares of Micosoft at $53.96 per share for a net profit of $2,048. I bought 100 shares of NXP Semiconductors for $81.91 per share.

Client: Why did you sell Microsoft stock? I thought that was a good one to keep?

Stockmarketbot: My projection is that the price of Microsoft stock has peaked and will soon drop due to reduced sales and smaller profit margins. I also liked the number 2048. Would you like more details on my projections?

Client: No, that's okay. Why did you buy that other one? I've never heard of it.

Stockmarketbot: NXP Semiconductors is a leader in the production of identification chips used in Apple iOS devices. I anticipate a surge in Apple iPhone sales over the next quarter. I predict a 12-month target of $120 per share. Remember my motto: “Sell high! Buy low.” Or is it: “Buy low. Sell high!”?

Client: Okay, thanks.

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