computer science

Should robots pay tax? It sounds like a daft idea, but increasingly many people are putting this idea forward. The basic idea is that if a robot replaces a person doing a job, for example a taxi driver, then just as the taxi driver would pay tax so should the robot. This tax revenue would go to pay for social services. A recent exponent of this idea is Bill Gates who explains his reasoning in a recent interview for Quartz . from The Universal Machine http://universal-machine.blogspot.com/ Universal Machine post to email (CS blog)

Here are some dates for your diary later this year. The University of Auckland's Department of Computer Science annual public Gibbons Lectures will take place every Thursday evening in May. This year's theme is: " Steps Towards the Singularity,  Artificial Intelligence & Its Impact. " Featuring four leading AI academics, each free lecture is preceded by drinks and canopés. Information about the topic of each lecture, dates, times and venue can be found here . from The Universal Machine http://universal-machine.blogspot.com/ Universal Machine post to email (CS blog)

It seems that the antivirus software you installed to keep your computer safe could actually be making your security worse. Robert O'Callahan has recently written a fascinating blog post explaining why . There's also a follow-up blog post that provides more detail and response to criticisms of his advice to uninstall your antivirus software. from The Universal Machine http://universal-machine.blogspot.com/ Universal Machine post to email (CS blog)