ABSTRACT
To contextualize the discussion of this volume, this chapter reviews what is currently being said in the popular press about artificial intelligence (AI) and human enhancement. From a random sample of 50 daily reports on AI from the International New York Times in 2017, the topics fell into four broad categories: The economy; A.I. capacities and innovations; social developments; and the arts. Discussed were such matters as the victories of AlphaGo; the development of much more realistic sex dolls; and the prospects for a jobless future.
The review of discourse on human enhancement was drawn from an assortment of interdisciplinary journals like Bioethics, Journal of Business Ethics, and Human Life Review. What was revealed was a fascinating discussion across fields that ranged from such matters as enhanced soldiers, personhood, and human dignity.
