What happens when autonomous robots designed for a Martian environment encounter human decision-making biases? The intersection of science fiction and real-world bounded rationality yields intriguing insights.

Despite the introduction of an unusual mineral, robots still adhere to the principle of bounded rationality in artificial intelligence as formulated by Herbert Simon.

I explore the concept of bounded rationality, illustrated by a picture courtesy of @SciRobotics, and supplement it with additional details here.

Did you genuinely appreciate the rugged charm of the Western film? Traditional scifi like ? Scifi horror like ? Steam punk? How about robots? If sure to any or all of the above, then by Nathan Ballingrud is for you? It’s a charming e book. As a bonus, this represents a quintessential embodiment of the real-world principle of bounded rationality.

Let’s discuss the ebook. What if the United States of America had established a thriving colony on Mars circa 1930s, an alternate reality reminiscent of Ray Bradbury’s nostalgic visions? The colony flourishes through the exploitation of the Unusual, a rare mineral that boosts the cognitive abilities and self-awareness of the intricate Steam Punk contraptions, collectively referred to as Engines. The planet’s fragile ecosystem supports human life, but the colony’s precarious balance is threatened by the sudden and inexplicable cessation of communication with Earth, casting doubt on their very survival. The protagonist of the novel is Annabel Crisp, an unapologetically forthright 13-year-old heroine reminiscent of those in classic Western novels by Charles Portis. As she and Watson, her loyal companion – a resourceful dishwashing engine from her guardian’s humble eatery – venture forth on a perilous quest to reclaim pilfered goods and rectify a multitude of injustices. As they navigate encounters with increasingly unpleasant individuals and machines alongside the way.

China Miéville’s New Crobuzon converges with a gritty Western frontier.

Actually.

What sets this novel apart from other horror tales is its unique approach, where entities and individuals never overstep their inherent limits, despite their efforts to harness or channel their natural abilities in a way that’s both reasonable and effective. When embedded in human nature, this phenomenon amplifies the most profound aspects of character, causing a timid person to become exceptionally adept at exploiting their fears, while someone determined to return to Earth will go to extraordinary lengths unseen before. However, humans are unlikely to accomplish more than what their existing capabilities permit. While robots may appear to possess character through their ability to engage in conversational language processing, they are ultimately limited by their physical capabilities and the inherent constraints of their software programming.

While the novel does not explicitly illustrate crucial real-world concepts in machine intelligence, it remains unclear whether its themes are entirely disconnected from these theoretical frameworks.

• One key aspect of intelligent robots is that they are tailored-made to perform a specific duty or function, with their design and capabilities optimized for that particular task. While the layperson often envisions a singular, all-purpose form of artificial intelligence capable of seamlessly integrating into any field or industry, robotics actually concentrates on developing tailored forms of intelligence designed specifically for executing distinct tasks and functions. A manufacturing facility robot might need to be trained to replicate and improve upon human performance of a task, without necessarily mimicking Sophia’s conversational style or discussing the societal implications of artificial intelligence with an audience.
• While the general public often muddles four distinct concepts – intelligence and experience (sapience), emotions and self-awareness (sentience), ability to modify task execution (autonomy), and capacity to alter or abandon a task for strategic purposes (initiative) – While some fictional robots may possess full-blown consciousness, reality often falls short of this ideal, with most AI systems exhibiting a sliver of sapience, lacking true sentience, and operating within predetermined parameters with no capacity for independent decision-making or initiative.

The notion of bounded rationality was first introduced by Herbert Simon, a Nobel laureate in economics and a pioneer in artificial intelligence, in the 1950s – this concept. Bounded rationality posits that all decision-makers, whether human or artificial intelligence, are constrained by limitations imposed by their cognitive abilities (including IQ), processing power, time, and information – both abundance and scarcity. Within AI and robotics, the defining parameters encompass intricate algorithms – the fundamental code. Individuals with exceptionally high cognitive abilities are not immune to making subpar decisions when fatigued, famished, misinformed, or perplexed. While individuals may exhibit impressive abilities, they nonetheless remain grounded within the boundaries of their inherent aptitudes. In the realm of fiction, extraordinary abilities often manifest themselves suddenly, without precedent, and usually require some external catalyst, such as radiation exposure or other unusual circumstances, to trigger this transformation.

As artificial intelligence (AI) continues to advance and robots become increasingly intelligent, we can expect them to evolve in various ways. Some potential developments could include: Would they be obsessed with optimizing efficiency, disregarding the collective well-being, potentially causing harm or even fatalities as they relentlessly pursue their objectives, effectively disregarding established safety protocols and guidelines, thereby committing an array of OSHA violations in the process? Would a rogue AI relentlessly pursue and eliminate humans through a chilling array of tactics meticulously outlined in Daniel H. Wilson’s sci-fi thriller, Robopocalypse? Wouldn’t they deliver supplies, sustenance, and medicine with a warm, genuine charm reminiscent of a nostalgic postal carrier? Will the socially engineered interactions within healthcare and tutoring robots ultimately yield genuine sentience and compassion?

. The robots will simply operate within the constraints of their programming and the current circumstances. In reality, the issue lies with our imperfect programming, which causes difficulties in accurately predicting penalties. Despite the unusual phenomenon on Mars, both Curiosity and Perseverance would continue their missions undeterred. A huge debt of gratitude is owed to NASA for their tireless efforts; it’s almost unimaginable to consider the scope of their ongoing endeavors.

Pick up a copy of it – an excellent way to learn. Plus Herb Simon’s . And don’t neglect ! While you may learn more about bounded rationality in your textbook and other science fiction that illustrates how robots work, it is also essential to understand the concept itself. Bounded rationality refers to the idea that individuals make decisions based on incomplete or imperfect information. This concept was first introduced by Herbert Simon in his 1947 article titled “A Behavioral Model of Rational Choice.”