I agree that self-driving cars should be weighted higher than artificial hearts per life saved, but the number of lives (assuming we don’t count the indirect economic effects of self-driving cars) could be quite a bit greater given that such a high percentage of deaths are heart-related.
The fact that they target an older population is slightly less of a factor if we consider that old age hits a mortality plateau, and assuming that this plateau rate can be reduced by such interventions. (Stroke, dementia, cancer, and so forth would definitely become higher priorities at this point.) Also the fact that the intervention occurs later in life (and hence later in time) increases the probability that it will serve as a bridge to robust rejuvenation or to more effective cryonics.
Currently, robotic surgery is teleoperated by humans. With software that learns from human interaction, automated surgery could probably be developed, starting with the most predictable operations and working towards more complex ones. It would never have to be human-level or general, narrow AI that is good at surgery should be sufficient.
I agree that self-driving cars should be weighted higher than artificial hearts per life saved, but the number of lives (assuming we don’t count the indirect economic effects of self-driving cars) could be quite a bit greater given that such a high percentage of deaths are heart-related.
The fact that they target an older population is slightly less of a factor if we consider that old age hits a mortality plateau, and assuming that this plateau rate can be reduced by such interventions. (Stroke, dementia, cancer, and so forth would definitely become higher priorities at this point.) Also the fact that the intervention occurs later in life (and hence later in time) increases the probability that it will serve as a bridge to robust rejuvenation or to more effective cryonics.
Currently, robotic surgery is teleoperated by humans. With software that learns from human interaction, automated surgery could probably be developed, starting with the most predictable operations and working towards more complex ones. It would never have to be human-level or general, narrow AI that is good at surgery should be sufficient.