Diving Deeper: My Journey to Create a Safer AI

In recent weeks, I've been somewhat vague about my AI and coding explorations. It's time to sharpen the focus and delve into the specifics of my AI assistant project and the research areas I'm most keen to explore.    

Let me be clear: I'm not trying to reinvent the wheel. Where it makes sense, I'll leverage existing open-source and readily available software. Why build a language model from scratch when there are perfectly good ones already out there?    

My core goal is to build an AI assistant, embodied in a robot head (and potentially a mobile platform), capable of experiencing the world and learning from those interactions.    

While that might sound like standard fare in today's AI landscape, I aim to integrate some less common and, I believe, crucial features:    

• Self-reflection: The ability for the AI to revisit past experiences with the benefit of hindsight, analysing its previous choices to determine if it would make the same decision again.  Imagine the potential for growth if an AI could learn from its "mistakes" in a truly iterative way!    
• Reinforced Memory Prioritization: A large-capacity memory system that prioritizes reinforced memories, similar to how our own memories function.  This would allow the AI to focus on and retain the most relevant and impactful information.    
• Emotional Awareness: This is a significant challenge. I want the AI to learn from experiences that evoke "good" and "bad" responses.  Human feelings are complex, influenced by chemical reactions and endorphins.  My AI won't have these biological processes, so I'll need to simulate them and, crucially, understand why they are needed and what effect they would have on the AI's cognition and decision-making.    
• A Conscience: I want the AI to be capable of second-guessing its choices based on a defined set of ethical considerations, perhaps even drawing inspiration from Asimov's Laws of Robotics.  As I've discussed previously, this is a complex but vital area of exploration.    
• Dreams: Finally, I want to explore AI dreams. While there's existing research in this area, I believe I've identified a novel approach that could enable the AI to dream, with those dreams having a tangible impact on its cognition.    

This is undoubtedly a substantial undertaking for a single individual, and it might even exceed my current capabilities.  But I'm committed to pursuing it. This project will demand extensive research into AI, the human mind, and the ethical implications of creating such a system.    

Unlike some AI development approaches that rely on a single, powerful computer, I'm taking a distributed route.    

Another key requirement is to minimize costs.  To achieve this, each functional area (or "lobe") of the AI's "brain" will be housed on its own single-board computer.  These will be interconnected, exchanging information as needed.  This is similar in concept to the Robot Operating System (ROS), but I aim for greater speed and efficiency.  I plan to use different boards, each selected for its strengths in specific tasks.  For example, a board with a Kendryte K210 will handle vision processing, an Arduino Mega will manage motor control (yes, I know it's not an SBC, but it serves the purpose), and a Raspberry Pi will be used for memory management.    

The AI will also utilize Large Language Models (LLMs), likely at least three, for tasks such as understanding speech, processing input, and producing output.  However, unlike many systems that employ a single LLM, these will be distinct entities within the AI's architecture.    

Memory management will involve a "scoring" system to prioritize important information for short-term caching, while less critical memories will reside in long-term storage.  To prevent storage overload, I'll also implement a memory decay system that will gradually remove memories that become irrelevant to the AI's ongoing operation.    

I'm aiming to keep the total project cost under $2,000.  Whether that's achievable remains to be seen, but it's a target I'm striving for.    

Do androids dream of electric sheep?

Oh, and the dreams?  You'll have to wait a while before I reveal the details of their implementation.  Suffice it to say that, like humans, my AI will have to sleep, and this will be a non-negotiable requirement.    

So, what's my ultimate goal?  It's to create something new, something that hasn't been done before.  Not necessarily the individual components, as I've stated, I'll be using pre-existing software where possible (such as Gemma or Llama 2).  My ambition is to synthesize everything in a novel way, exploring how this approach could not only advance AI research but also contribute to making AI safer for the general public.   

And on that note, I can finally reveal the name I've given this project, and the meaning behind it: D.A.N.I. stands for Dreaming AI Neural Integration. This encapsulates the core of my research: to explore the potential of AI that learns and grows through a process akin to dreaming, deeply integrated within a neural network structure.

My wife jokes that I'm planning to build Skynet, but my intention is precisely the opposite.  I'm designing a system that would be inherently incapable of becoming Skynet – think more C3PO than Terminator.    

By incorporating the ability to learn from its mistakes (and successes), as well as the capacity for dreaming, I hope to enable the AI to accelerate its learning process.  We, as humans, frequently revisit our decisions, so why not equip an AI to do the same?    

I also aim to provide you with an engaging narrative of my development journey.  I anticipate making many mistakes. But that's part of the learning process – discovering not only how to do things, but also how not to do them.    

If you have any comments or questions, please leave a comment below.    👇

My Journey into Independent AI and Robotics: A Personal Exploration

 Welcome to this space where I'll be documenting my ongoing exploration into the fascinating world of artificial intelligence and robotics. My aim is to provide you with clear, accessible insights into my projects and the challenges I encounter, all while keeping a grounded perspective on the current state of these rapidly evolving fields. I'll do my best to avoid getting bogged down in overly technical jargon, but some terminology is inevitable. Similarly, I'm committed to presenting a realistic view, steering clear of the sensationalism that often surrounds discussions about AI and robotics.

You might be wondering, with so many existing blogs and resources dedicated to these topics, why start another one? It's a fair question. Many of those blogs are written by individuals with far more formal qualifications and experience than I possess. So, what makes this one different? What can I offer that you won't find elsewhere?

To begin, let's address the elephant in the room: I'm not a scientist, nor am I a professional or student in the fields of AI or robotics. My formal education in these areas is limited. In fact, my academic journey was brief, lasting only a few months when I attempted college in my thirties. It simply wasn't the right fit for me.

However, what I do possess is a long history of software development. I began teaching myself to code at the age of 11, back in 1983. Since then, I've written software on a wide range of topics, in various programming languages, primarily for my own personal projects. Professionally, I've worked on enterprise resource planning (ERP) software, physical security systems, and numerous database and web-based applications. Personally, I've developed tools, games, databases, open-source libraries, and just about anything else that piqued my interest.

This extensive, self-taught background provides me with a unique perspective. My lack of formal training has often compelled me to find innovative and unconventional ways to solve problems. This ability to think outside the box is what I hope to bring to my exploration of AI and robotics.

Furthermore, I am neuro-divergent, specifically on the autistic spectrum. While this realization was initially a surprise, I've come to recognize it as a significant asset. My cognitive style allows me to perceive patterns and connections that might be overlooked by others. It's like having a different lens through which I view the world, enabling me to identify novel solutions and approaches.

This is a solo endeavor. I don't have a team of researchers or engineers working alongside me. It's just me, my computers, and my two 3D printers. However, I do have a valuable partner in the form of AI. I use AI as a sounding board, a research assistant, and a collaborator. If I need to quickly understand the capabilities of a component, I ask AI. If I need to assess the feasibility of a concept, I ask AI. If I need to ensure that this blog post is readable and engaging, I ask AI.

Another significant differentiator is my budget. While companies like Google, Tesla, and Unitree have access to millions or billions of dollars in funding, I'm working with a very limited budget. I'm funding this project myself, and my available capital is minimal. This constraint presents a unique challenge, forcing me to be resourceful and creative. To keep research and development costs down, I'll be relying heavily on off-the-shelf components and open-source software. I don't want to reinvent the wheel; instead, I aim to find new and innovative ways to combine existing technologies, perhaps adding my own unique contributions along the way.

I believe I have some promising ideas and concepts, and I'm eager to bring my unique perspective to life. However, I also recognize that success is not guaranteed. We'll see where this journey takes us.

I won't be detailing any specific project plans in this initial post. I prefer to reveal each aspect of my work as it develops, allowing you to follow along in real time.

Like many people of my generation, my fascination with robots began with the release of "Star Wars" in 1977. The character of R2-D2, in particular, captured my imagination. Decades later, in 2020, I acquired an Anki Vector. This small, interactive robot provided a tangible experience with personal robotics. While Vector is an impressive piece of technology, it lacked a certain spark, a quality that I couldn't quite define.

This led me to explore other consumer-level robotics solutions, including kits from companies like Adeept, Freenove, and Sunfounder. These kits provided valuable hands-on experience with single-board computers and microcontrollers, and I began designing my own robotic projects. However, these projects still fell short of my vision.

I realized that the key to unlocking the potential of these robots lay in their intelligence, specifically in the field of deep learning. I began to delve into the intricacies of neural networks, machine learning algorithms, and the ways in which AI can enable robots to learn and adapt. The prospect of creating robots that could not only perform tasks but also understand and interact with their environment on a deeper level was incredibly compelling.

A Note on Coding Choices

For the coding aspects of this project, I'll primarily be using Go and C++. I have a strong preference for compiled languages, and while Python is a popular choice in the AI and robotics community, I find its interpreted nature less appealing. I understand that using Go might limit my access to some readily available libraries, particularly in the machine learning domain, but I see this as a stimulating challenge. Adapting and potentially creating my own solutions is part of the exploration. C++ will come into play where performance is critical, and for low level hardware interaction.

I plan to post updates on this blog once a week, providing insights into my progress, challenges, and discoveries. However, please understand that there may be occasional delays. If I'm deeply immersed in a project or if there's nothing substantial to report, I may skip a week. I also intend to share videos whenever I have something visual to demonstrate.

This blog is intended to document my personal exploration of AI and robotics. It's not intended to replace formal scientific research. I invite you to follow along as I embark on this journey of discovery and innovation. And please, feel free to comment with your suggestions, ideas, or even just to let me know what you think. Your input is always welcome!