TED英语演讲：人工智能如何成为你思维的延伸

TED英语演讲课

给心灵放个假吧

不需要张口，尝试与自己交谈，只需在心里说出你想说的话。 如果你可以像这样搜索互联网并获得你想要的答案是一种怎样的体验？ 在他的新技术的第一次现场公开演示中，TED研究员Arnav Kapur介绍了AlterEgo：一种可穿戴的AI设备，可以让你默默地与计算机系统交谈并获取信息，就像你脑子里的声音一样。 这种新型人机交互影响将会非常深远。

Ever since computers were invented,we've been trying to make them smarter and more powerful.From the abacus, to room-sized machines,to desktops, to computers in our pockets.And are now designing artificial intelligence to automate tasksthat would require human intelligence.If you look at the history of computing,we've always treated computers as external devicesthat compute and act on our behalf.What I want to do is I want to weave computing, AI and internet as part of us.As part of human cognition,freeing us to interact with the world around us.Integrate human and machine intelligenceright inside our own bodies to augment us, instead of diminishing us or replacing us.

自从发明电脑以来， 我们一直尝试使它们 更聪明、更强大。从算盘到房间大小的电脑， 再从桌上型到能放进口袋里的电脑。如今正在发展中的人工智慧 能够自动执行 需要人类智慧的任务。从计算机的演变史来看， 电脑始终被视为 代替我们计算和执行的外部设备。我想要把计算、人工智慧 和网路，整合成我们内在的一部分， 成为人类认知过程的一部分， 让我们自由地与周围的世界互动。将人类与机器智慧结合起来， 从内在去补强我们， 而不是削弱或取代我们。

Could we combine what people do best, such as creative and intuitive thinking,with what computers do best,such as processing information and perfectly memorizing stuff?Could this whole be better than the sum of its parts?

我们能不能把人类的强项， 例如创造性和直觉思维， 与电脑的强项， 例如资讯处理和完美记忆， 结合在一起呢？一旦整合，是否比各项优势 加总起来更好呢？

We have a device that could make that possible.It's called AlterEgo, and it's a wearable devicethat gives you the experience of a conversational AIthat lives inside your head,that you could talk to in likeness to talking to yourself internally.We have a new prototype that we're showing here,for the first time at TED, and here's how it works.

我们做了一个设备来实现这个理想。它叫做 AlterEgo （改变自我）， 是一种穿戴式设备， 藉由它你可以体验与你脑中的 人工智慧对话， 就像你与内在自我对话那样容易。今天展示的是一个新的原型机， 第一次出现在 TED ， 这是它的原理。

Normally, when we speak,the brain sends neurosignals through the nervesto your internal speech systems,to activate them and your vocal cords to produce speech.One of the most complex cognitive and motor tasksthat we do as human beings.Now, imagine talking to yourselfwithout vocalizing, without moving your mouth,without moving your jaw,but by simply articulating those words internally.Thereby very subtly engaging your internal speech systems,such as your tongue and back of your palate.When that happens,the brain sends extremely weak signals to these internal speech systems.

通常，当我们说话时， 大脑发送神经信号，通过神经， 到达你内部的语音系统， 使你的声带动起来，发出话语； 那是我们人类所做 最复杂的认知和动作之一。现在想像与自己对话， 不出声，不动嘴， 也不动下巴， 就只在心中默念那样。从而很巧妙地启动 你内部的语音系统， 像是你的舌头和软颚。当你这样做时， 大脑会向内部语音系统 发送极弱的信号。

AlterEgo has sensors,embedded in a thin plastic, flexible and transparent devicethat sits on your neck just like a sticker.These sensors pick up on these internal signalssourced deep within the mouth cavity,right from the surface of the skin.An AI program running in the backgroundthen tries to figure out what the user's trying to say.It then feeds back an answer to the userby means of bone conduction,audio conducted through the skull into the user's inner ear,that the user hears,overlaid on top of the user's natural hearing of the environment,without blocking it.

AlterEgo 的感测器嵌在 一个有弹性、透明塑胶薄片里， 像张贴纸贴在脖子上。这些感测器从我们的皮肤表面 接收来自口腔深处的内部信号。在后台运行的人工智慧程式 负责解读使用者在表达什么。然后它透过骨传导耳机 向使用者提供答案。使用者听到的声音 透过颅骨传到使用者内耳中， 与我们接收周遭环境的听觉重叠， 两者并行毫无阻碍。

The combination of all these parts, the input, the output and the AI,gives a net subjective experience of an interface inside your headthat you could talk to in likeness to talking to yourself.Just to be very clear, the device does not record or read your thoughts.It records deliberate information that you want to communicatethrough deliberate engagement of your internal speech systems.People don't want to be read, they want to write.Which is why we designed the systemto deliberately record from the peripheral nervous system.Which is why the control in all situations resides with the user.

这一整个输入、输出 和人工智慧的组合， 让你对这个脑中的界面 得以有一个纯然的主观体验， 如同你与自己交谈那样。我要清楚指出，该设备 不会记录或阅读你的想法。它只会记录你选择要 透过内部语音系统 去沟通的特定信息。人们不想被读心，他们想要表达。这就是为什么我们将这系统 设计成只去记录从 周边神经系统来的讯息。无论何种情况，主控权 都在使用者手上。

I want to stop here for a second and show you a live demo.What I'm going to do is, I'm going to ask Eric a question.And he's going to search for that informationwithout vocalizing, without typing, without moving his fingers,without moving his mouth.Simply by internally asking that question.The AI will then figure out the answer and feed it back to Eric,through audio, through the device.While you see a laptop in front of him, he's not using it.Everything lives on the device.All he needs is that sticker device to interface with the AI and the internet.So, Eric, what's the weather in Vancouver like, right now?What you see on the screenare the words that Eric is speaking to himself right now.This is happening in real time.

我先暂停一下，来做一个现场示范。我要问艾瑞克一个问题。他搜索答案时 不能出声、不能打字、也不能动手、 同时也不开口。纯粹就是在内心里提问。人工智慧会找出答案， 通过语音和设备， 反馈给艾瑞克。他前面有一台笔记型电脑， 可是他不会用到。所有一切都在装置里。只要那片贴纸装置能与人工智慧 和网路去互动就够了。卡普尔：艾瑞克，此刻 温哥华的天气怎样？萤幕上的这些字 是此刻艾瑞克与他自己的对话。这是即时同步的纪录。

Eric: It's 50 degrees and rainy here in Vancouver.

艾瑞克：温哥华这里 50 度，下雨。

Arnav Kapur: What happened is that the AI sent the answerthrough audio, through the device, back to Eric.

卡普尔：刚刚这是人工智慧 透过语音及装置将答案发送给艾瑞克。

What could the implications of something like this be?Imagine perfectly memorizing things,where you perfectly record information that you silently speak,and then hear them later when you want to,internally searching for information,crunching numbers at speeds computers do,silently texting other people.Suddenly becoming multilingual,so that you internally speak in one language,and hear the translation in your head in another.The potential could be far-reaching.

这样的装置会带来什么影响？想像分毫不差的记忆力， 只要无声地默念即可完美地记录一切， 然后在需要时得以聆听； 还能向内搜索讯息， 以电脑的速度处理数字， 以及无声地给他人发出简讯。还有突然通晓多种语言， 你在心里用一种语言说话， 立即就在脑中听到 另一种语言的翻译。潜力深远。

There are millions of people around the worldwho struggle with using natural speech.People with conditions such as ALS, or Lou Gehrig's disease,stroke and oral cancer,amongst many other conditions.For them, communicating is a painstakingly slow and tiring process.

全世界有数百万人 丧失与生俱来的语言能力。例如肌萎缩侧索硬化或称卢·贾里格症 （俗称渐冻人） 的患者， 还有中风及口腔癌患者， 以及许多其他疾病的患者。对他们来说，沟通变得 艰苦、缓慢而累人。

This is Doug.Doug was diagnosed with ALS about 12 years agoand has since lost the ability to speak.Today, he uses an on-screen keyboardwhere he types in individual letters using his head movements.And it takes several minutes to communicate a single sentence.So we went to Doug and asked himwhat were the first words he'd like to use or say, using our system.Perhaps a greeting, like, "Hello, how are you?"Or indicate that he needed help with something.What Doug said that he wanted to use our system foris to reboot the old system he had, because that old system kept on crashing.

这位是道格。大约 12 年前，道格 被诊断为渐冻人， 从此失去了说话的能力。如今他使用萤幕键盘， 用头部动作将英文字母逐一输入。一个句子得花掉好几分钟。我们去找道格， 如果用我们的系统， 他要说的第一句话是什么。或许是「哈啰，你好吗？」的问候 或者表达他需要什么样的帮助。道格说他可以用我们的系统 去重新开机，因为他那个 旧系统老是死机。

We never could have predicted that.I'm going to show you a short clip of Doug using our system for the first time.

这完全出乎我们的意料。我要给你看道格第一次 使用我们系统的短片。

AK: What you just saw therewas Doug communicating or speaking in real time for the first timesince he lost the ability to speak.There are millions of peoplewho might be able to communicate in real time like Doug,with other people, with their friends and with their families.My hope is to be able to help them express their thoughts and ideas.

卡普尔：你刚才看到的 是道格失去说话的能力后 第一次能够即时地沟通和说话。有数百万人或许可以像道格这样， 即时地与其他人、朋友和家人沟通。我希望能帮助他们表达想法和意见。

I believe computing, AI and the internetwould disappear into us as extensions of our cognition,instead of being external entities or adversaries,amplifying human ingenuity,giving us unimaginable abilities and unlocking our true potential.And perhaps even freeing us to becoming better at being human.

我相信计算机，人工智慧和网路 能够内化成我们认知的延伸， 不再是外部装置或竞争对手， 它们可以扩大人类的聪明才智， 赋予我们难以想像的能力， 而且释放我们的真正潜力。甚至可能还解放我们， 去善尽作为人类的本分。

Shoham Arad: Come over here.OK.I want to ask you a couple of questions, they're going to clear the stage.I feel like this is amazing, it's innovative,it's creepy, it's terrifying.Can you tell us what I think ...I think there are some uncomfortable feelings around this.Tell us, is this reading your thoughts,will it in five years,is there a weaponized version of this, what does it look like?

秀涵 · 阿瑞德：过来这里。好。我想问你几个问题， 他们要清理那边的舞台。我觉得这很棒、很有创意， 也有点毛骨悚然、令人恐惧。你能告诉我们为什么—— 我觉得这个发明引发 了一种令人不自在的感觉。请告诉我们，这个装置是像读心术吗？是否在五年之内， 会发展出一个武器化的版本？届时它又会是什么样子？

AK: So our first design principle, before we started working on this,was to not render ethics as an afterthought.So we wanted to bake ethics right into the design.We flipped the design.Instead of reading from the brain directly,we're reading from the voluntary nervous systemthat you deliberately have to engage to communicate with the device,while still bringing the benefits of a thinking or a thought device.The best of both worlds in a way.

卡普尔：我们开始研究前的 第一个设计原则就是 不要等到最后才考虑道德问题。因此我们一开始就把 道德规范纳入其中。我们翻转了设计。与其直接从脑部读取资料， 改成从自主神经系统去读取， 由你决定与装置分享沟通那些资讯， 仍能享有思考装置的好处。将人工与人类智慧结合得两全其美。

SA: OK, I think people are going to have a lot more questions for you.Also, you said that it's a sticker.So right now it sits just right here?Is that the final iteration,what the final design you hope looks like?

阿瑞德：嗯，我想大家一定 有更多问题要问你。此外，你说它是贴纸。现在就贴这里吗？这是目前最新的版本吗？你希望最终的设计是什么样的？

AK: Our goal is for the technology to disappear completely.

卡普尔：我们的目标是让技术隐身。

SA: What does that mean?

什么意思？

AK: If you're wearing it, I shouldn't be able to see it.You don't want technology on your face, you want it in the background,to augment you in the background.So we have a sticker version that conforms to the skin,that looks like the skin,but we're trying to make an even smaller versionthat would sit right here.

卡普尔：意思是， 你穿戴着它，我却看不出来。因为没有人希望它清楚秀在你的脸上， 而是要它隐身于后，增强你的能力。所以我们做了一个贴纸版本， 看起来像皮肤。但我们正努力制作更小的版本， 可以贴在这里。

SA: OK.I feel like if anyone has any questions they want to ask Arnav,he'll be here all week.OK, thank you so much, Arnav.

阿瑞德：好的。我觉得如果每个人都能提问的话， 阿纳夫可能得在这里待上一个星期。非常感谢你，阿纳夫。

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