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Isaac Asimoc, a writer well-known for his works of science fiction, penned the “Three Laws of Robotics” in 1972.

Asimov wrote these “laws” while thinking about androids, and he imagined a world where human-like robots would have human masters and need a set of programming rules to prevent them from causing harm.

But51 years after the laws were first published, technology has advanced significantly and humans now have a different understanding of what robots and artificial intelligence (AI) can look like and how people interact with them.(h/t to Survivopedia.com) The three laws of robotics

While a robot takeover is still more fiction than fact, as a prepper it’s worth reviewing Asimov’s laws to prepare for when SHTF. First law “A robot may not injure a human being or through inaction allow a human being to come to harm.” Second law “A robot must obey orders given by human beings, except where such orders would conflict with the first law.” Third law “A robot must protect its own existence as long as such protection does not conflict with the first and the second law.”

While the laws are fiction, Asimov’s thought process is something preppers should mimic.

Asimov wasn’t a prepper, but he realized that AI-powered computers, or androids and robots, as he put it, could be dangerous despite their many benefits because they couldthink for themselves. He also realized the difficulty in programming them to ensure that they would not betray their human masters.

The dichotomy here lies in allowing computers to become sentient, or feeling and thinking for themselves, while still keeping some level of control over them as their masters. This two-pronged goalmaybe impossible, especially since humans are still in the infant stages of AI and there have already been problems in creating the necessary fail-safes to ensure the safety of users.

Astechnology continues to advance, AI computer systems are now teaching themselves much faster than any thought being put into creating the necessary controls to keep them safe.

In one of the earliest AI experiments where two computers with AI systems installed communicated with each other, it only took minutes for the two programs to develop their own language and communicate. This meant their human operatorswere unable to understand the two AI systems.

Chatbots are computer programs that mimic human conversations through text.

But back in 2017, when the experiment was conducted, chatbots weren’t yet capable of more sophisticated functions beyond simple tasks like answering customer questions or ordering food. To address this, Facebook’s Artificial Intelligence Research Group (FAIR) tried to find out if these programs could be taught to negotiate.

The researchers developed two chatbots named Alice and Bob.Using a game where the two chatbots and human players bartered virtual items like balls and hats, Alice and Bob showed that they could make deals with varying degrees of success.

Facebook researchers observed the language when the chatbots were negotiating among themselves. They noticed that becausethey didn’t instruct the bots to stick to the rules of English, Alice and Bob started using their own language: a “derived shorthand” they invented to communicate faster.

While the researchers stopped the experiment because of the potential danger, further research into AI continued through the years. There is no policingof potential tasks for advanced AI systems

The AI systems available to modern consumers surpass those used in the Facebook experiment.There is a wider array of AI systems available to use, some of which can be hired through websites, to accomplish different tasks.

However, there is no way to monitorwhat those tasks might be to guarantee that they are not abused by those who want to use these tools for crimes or to harm others. (Related: Digital prepping: How to protect yourself against cyberattacks.)

The first question for preppers is, can these systems turn against their human masters?

According to an Air Force colonel, that has already happened during an experimental drone test. The colonel eventually tried to deny what he said, but there have been reports about the incident.

During the test, a drone was assigned to find and eliminate targets, but it needed the permission of a human controller before firing.

After some time, the drone realized that the controller was responsible for the “points” it lost when it denied the permission it needed to take out certain targets. To solve the problem, the drone “killed” the controller.

No real person was harmed during the test, but it’s easy to see how the scenario could have turned ugly if the drone was assigned to protect an area with real people.

The drone test also illustrates the potential challenges of programming AI. The tests show that it can be impossible to program a sentient AI to prevent it from doing what it wants to do because it’s clever enough to find a way to disobey direct orders.

Rogue drones controlled by AI may harm humans, but how can you prevent this from happening?

Many ethical questions are being raised about AI, but experts still haven’t been able to present real-world answers. Unfortunately, they might not start working on this problem unless atragedy occurs.

By then, it might be too late to discuss the ethics associated with AI.And the U.S. isn’t the only country working onAI technology.

Other countries, along with some that aren’t on friendly terms with the U.S., are also developing their AI systems, both for military and civilian applications.

AI is already being used for one dangerous application: The creation of deep fake videos.

Stealing an actors “copyright” to their likeness isn’t harmful, but it is still consideredcriminal activity. When that same level of artificial intelligence is applied to identity theft, even preppers and non-preppers alike won’t be safe. How can you prepare yourself before the rise of AI?

Even nowAI exists on the internet and is already being used to create various content.This means you can’t always trust that the content you see or read was created by humans.

As of writing, at least19.2 percent of articles on the internet have some AI-generated content. At least 7.7percent of these articles have 75 percent or more of their content generated by AI.

Experts warn that by 2026, at least 90percent of internet content will be AI-generated.

How is this relevant to you as a prepper?

AI-generated content can be problematic because this meansmore content will be politicized.

Data suggests that Russia and other countries are alreadytrolling U.S. websites, potentially making posts and uploading articles thatare inflammatory to add to the political division in the country.These countries can continue to use AI to increase their effectiveness by targeting their articles more specifically.

With the potential dangers of AI steadily increasing as time goes by, you must be more careful about what you see and read online. Do not believe everything your see or hear,especially content with political overtones.

Learn how to be anindependent fact-checker and do your research to find out if what you are reading and hearing is true.

Be wary ofmainstream media that may be spinning news stories to support their own political agenda. Check reliable news sources for updates on what the Russian, Chinese and other countries’ intelligence services are doing.

This also means being careful about what you post online. Never post personal information online or anything that hackers could use to try and figure out anything about you.

Do not use systems like Alexa and Google Assistant, which often allow computers to eavesdrop on user conversations. Even though the companies that make these products claim they arent spying on users, various reports about them prove otherwise.

Don’t “computerize” your life bystorin your data online. This service may seem convenient because you can access your data anywhere, but there’s alsoa chance that others could access all your data in the cloud.

Are you willing to risk a data breach just for convenience? Most of the time, companies offering these services havethings buried in the fine print of their contracts, which allows them to listen in on your computer microphones and look at images from your phone or laptop cameras.

To trulyprotect yourself from the potential dangers of AI, you must reevaluate your usage of the internet and computers.Technology is convenient, but you must be responsible and make sure your information can’t be used against you by those who might do you harm.

Don’t store yourdata online and unplug things like microphones and cameras when not in use.

Sacrifice convenience to protect yourself and your family from the potential dangers of AI technology.

Visit Computing.newsto learn more about the growing dangers of AI systems.

Watch the video below to find out how AI technology threatens to take over thousands of jobs.

This video is from theNewsClips channel on Brighteon.com. More related stories:

Google is using AI to dig through Gmail accounts to find exactly what youre looking for and perhaps MORE.

Peeping through the windows: Microsoft to incorporate MANDATORY AI systems in Windows 11 to SPY on all your computing activities.

Dallas school district installs AI spying, surveillance systems to keep an eye on students.

Sources include:

Survivopedia.com

USAToday.com

TheConversation.com

TheGuardian.com

Brighteon.com
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UK must increase North Sea drilling to boost economy, says US ambassador

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UK must increase North Sea drilling to boost economy, says US ambassador

The US ambassador to the UK has said Britain should carry out “more drilling and more production” in the North Sea.

In his first broadcast interview in the job, Warren Stephens urged the UK to make the most of its own oil and gas reserves to cut energy costs and boost the economy.

“Electricity costs are four times ours in the UK, versus the US,” he told Mornings with Ridge and Frost.

“I want the UK economy to be as strong as it possibly can be, so the UK can be the best ally to the US that it possibly can be.

“Having a growing economy is essential to that – and the electricity costs make it very difficult.”

Mr Stephens told Wilfred Frost he hoped Britain would “examine the policies in the North Sea and frankly, make some changes to it that allows for more drilling and more production”.

“You’re using oil and gas, but you’re importing it. Why not use your own?” he asked.

More on Fossil Fuels

Mr Stephens said Britain should make more of its own oil and gas
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Mr Stephens said Britain should make more of its own oil and gas

The ambassador said he had held meetings with Sir Keir Starmer on the energy issue while US President Donald Trump was in the room, and that the prime minister was “absolutely” listening to the US view.

“I think there are members of the government that are listening,” Mr Stephens told Sky News. “There is a little bit of movement to make changes on the policy and I’ll hope that will continue.”

Energy Secretary Ed Miliband has said the UK should be prioritising net zero by 2030 to limit climate change, rather than issuing new oil and gas drilling licences.

The Thistle Alpha platform, north of Shetland, stopped production in 2020 . Pic: Reuters/Petrofac
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The Thistle Alpha platform, north of Shetland, stopped production in 2020 . Pic: Reuters/Petrofac

However, the ambassador said it would take “all energy for all countries to compete” in the future, given the huge power demands of data centres and AI.

“I don’t think Ed Miliband is necessarily wrong,” said Mr Stephens. “But I think it’s an incorrect policy to ignore your fossil fuel reserves, both in the North Sea and onshore.”

The ambassador hosted Mr Trump on the first night of his second UK state visit in September – a trip that was seen as a success by both sides.

Mr Stephens said Mr Trump and Sir Keir had a “great relationship” and pointed to the historic ties between Britain and the US as a major factor in June’s trade deal and the favourable tariff rate on the UK.

The ambassador said Sir Keir and President Trump have a 'great relationship'
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The ambassador said Sir Keir and President Trump have a ‘great relationship’

“The president really loves this country,” the ambassador told Sky News.

“I don’t think it’s coincidental that the tariff rates on the UK are generally a third, or at worst half, of what a lot of other countries are facing.

“I think the prime minister and his team did a great job of positioning the United Kingdom to be the first trade deal, but also the best one that’s been struck.”

Mr Stephens – who began his job in London in May – also touched on the Ukraine war and said Mr Trump’s patience with Russia was “wearing thin”.

The Alaska summit between Mr Trump and Vladimir Putin failed to produce a breakthrough, and the US leader has admitted the Russian president may be “playing” him so he can continue the fighting.

Read more from Sky News:
Trump accused of ‘new low point’ with refugee order
Trump’s opinion of Xi meeting brushes over thornier issues

The ambassador told Sky News he had always favoured a tough stance on Russia and was “delighted” when Mr Trump sanctioned Russia’s two biggest oil firms a few weeks ago.

However, he emphasised the president’s call that other countries must stop buying Russian energy to really tighten the screw.

‘The incorrect policy’ – That’s Trumpian diplomacy for you

“You’re using oil and gas, but you’re importing it. Why not use your own?”

It’s a reasonable question for President Trump’s top representative here in the UK – ambassador Warren Stephens – to ask, particularly given that our exclusive interview was taking place in the UK’s oil capital, Aberdeen.

The ambassador told me that he and President Trump have repeatedly lobbied Prime Minister Starmer on the topic, and somewhat strikingly said the PM was “absolutely listening”, adding: “I think there are certainly members of the government that are listening. And there is a little bit of movement to make some changes to the policy.”

Well, one member of the government who is seemingly not listening, and happens to be spending most of this week at the UN Climate Change Conference in Brazil, is Energy Secretary Ed Miliband.

“It’s going to take all energy for all countries to compete in the 21st century for AI and data centres,” the ambassador told me. “And so, I don’t think Ed Miliband is necessarily wrong, but I think it’s an incorrect policy to ignore your fossil fuel reserves, both in the North Sea and onshore.”

Not wrong, but the incorrect policy. That’s Trumpian diplomacy for you.

His comments on Russia, China and free speech were also fascinating. On the latter, he said that in the US someone might get “cancelled for saying something, but they’re not going to get arrested.”

“The president, has been, I would say, careful in ramping up pressure on Russia. But I think his patience is wearing out,” said Mr Stephens.

“One of the problems is a lot of European countries still depend on Russian gas,” he added.

“We’re mindful of that. We understand that, but until we can really cut off their ability to sell oil and gas around the world, they’re going to have money and Putin seems intent on continuing the war.”

The ambassador also struck a cautious but hopeful tone on future US and UK relations with China.

It comes after Mr Trump said his meeting this week with President Xi Jinping was a “12/10”, raising hopes the trade war between the superpowers could be simmering down.

China’s huge economy is too big to ignore – but it remains a major spy threat; the head of MI5 warned last month of an increase in “state threat activity” from Beijing (as well as Russia and Iran).

Mr Stephens praised the country’s economy and said it would be “terrific” if China could one day be considered a partner.

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Trump-Xi meeting: Three key takeaways

But he warned “impatient” China is ruthlessly focused on itself only, and would like to see the US and the West weakened.

“There’s certainly things we want to be able to do with China,” added the ambassador.

“And I know the UK wants to do things with China. The United States does, too – and we should. But I think we always need to keep in the back of our mind that China does not have our interests at heart.”

:: Watch Mornings with Ridge and Frost on weekdays Monday to Thursday, from 7am to 10am on Sky News

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Trump defends CZ pardon, says he ‘doesn’t know’ Binance co-founder

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Trump defends CZ pardon, says he ‘doesn’t know’ Binance co-founder

Trump defends CZ pardon, says he ‘doesn’t know’ Binance co-founder

Trump again denied ties to Binance co-founder CZ amid reports that the exchange helped facilitate a $2 billion stablecoin deal linked to his World Liberty Financial platform.

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Standard Chartered CEO expects blockchain to ‘eventually’ power nearly all global transactions

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Standard Chartered CEO expects blockchain to ‘eventually’ power nearly all global transactions

Standard Chartered Plc bank branch in Hong Kong

Bloomberg | Bloomberg | Getty Images

Bill Winters, CEO of Standard Chartered, foresees a future in which nearly all global transactions are conducted on a digital blockchain ledger, he told a crowd in Hong Kong on Monday, as crypto adoption amongst mainstream banking and finance institutions grows. 

“Our belief, which I think is shared by the leadership of Hong Kong, is that pretty much all transactions will settle on blockchains eventually, and that all money will be digital,” the UK-based multinational bank’s CEO said during a panel at Hong Kong FinTech Week. 

“Think about what that means: a complete rewiring of the financial system,” he said, adding that experimentation is required to determine what that rewiring looks like. 

Standard Chartered — which is listed in both London and Hong Kong — has been ramping up its involvement with digital assets in recent years, including through digital asset custody services, trading platforms, and tokenized products. 

Winters made the comments while discussing Hong Kong’s role in the global digital assets space, crediting the city for leadership on experimentation and regulation, alongside Hong Kong Financial Secretary Paul Chan. 

Hong Kong has been working to establish itself as a regional crypto hub through a digital asset licensing regime, as well as tokenization pilots in which Standard Chartered is a participant.

A tokenized asset is a digital representation of a real-world asset, like stocks, bonds, or commodities, that can be recorded and traded on a blockchain or distributed ledger. Stablecoins, which are pegged to a currency, are often held up as an early example of a tradable tokenized asset.

Standard Chartered, in partnership with blockchain venture capital firm Animoca Brands and telecommunications company HKT, is planning to launch a Hong Kong dollar-backed stablecoin under a new regulatory framework the city launched in August.

Winters said Monday he believed that Hong Kong dollar stablecoins can represent an interesting new medium of exchange for international trade on digital terms.

Other global fintech leaders have also made bullish predictions for tokenized assets in recent months.

Robinhood Markets CEO Vlad Tenev said last month that tokenization was a “freight train,” coming to most major markets in the next five years.

Larry Fink, CEO of BlackRock, the world’s largest money manager, said in April that every asset from stocks to bonds to real estate can be tokenized in what will represent a “revolution” for investing.

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