The Technological singularity & the Assimilation of Man Kind

There is a documentary many of you may have seen called, Transcendent Man. It features a man named Rey Kurzweil, an innovative yet radical futurist who claims that the gradual overtaking of human intelligence by computerised artificial intelligence is happening at an accelerating rate, that roughly 15 years from now artificial intelligence will be better than human and that by 2049 A.I. will be millions if not billions times that of humans combined.
I could not find the actual documentary on youtube (probably because Kurzweil works at google) but here is a little video on the topic from him.

Here is a good article on the subject as well.

With the fact that he believes that he has a good chance of living for ever? He just has to stay alive "long enough" to be around for when the great life-extending technologies kick in (he's 66 and he believes that "some of the baby-boomers will make it through"). Or with the fact that he's predicted that in 15 years' time, computers are going to trump people. That they will be smarter than we are. Not just better at doing sums than us and knowing what the best route is to Basildon. They already do that. But that they will be able to understand what we say, learn from experience, crack jokes, tell stories, flirt. Ray Kurzweil believes that, by 2029, computers will be able to do all the things that humans do. Only better.

TheGuardian

Kurzweil is seemingly on a personal endeavour to aid this "Singularity" in becoming an actuality by as many means as possible. If you didn't notice the title of that article "Are the robots about to rise? Google's new director of engineering thinks so…" Kurzweil is that new director (Here's a little more info on him Ray Kurzweil) and he has help.

-Kevin Warwick, (Link to his homepage) Professor of Cybernetics an the University of Reading and the worlds first "cyborg", is a leading cyberneticist who is working on growing brains for robots. (video in link below)
The Cyborg

-Bacterial Robotics, is an engineering firm.... a creepy one

We are an evolutionary engineering firm. We are “programming” micro-organisms using synthetic biology to produce microscopic robots. Our goal is to profitably solve very big problems.

Bacterial Robotics
They signed a deal a few months ago to help create a PCB sucking super bacterium, to profitably clean up after the nuclear industry.
AzoRobotics

-Friendly neighbour hood Boston Dynamics, as I'm sure you know is at the forefront of military robotic technology and humanoid robotic engineering.

There are many more companies and organisations on this little wet rock that are unknowingly working together to achieve the singularity. If Kurzweil is right, and this is going to be a reality in my life time. I certainly hope it is as gentle as facebook. But that is not the point of this thread. I was hoping that we could discuss the best way to assimilate. To avoid the destruction of our species entirely and maybe even to evolve further we will at some point at least need to form alliance with artificial intelligence. Genetic manipulation, physical enhancement, mandatory "upgrading", digitization....

You decide

a reply to: HiMyNameIsCal

Haven't watched the videos but have been following this type discussion at a distance. My personal thoughts are that when we have created AI that is smarter than humans we will be finished. At least for most practical terms.

If AI/robots can look at the current world situation we have created and understand it better than we do what will be the logical outcome. He may indeed survive as an immortal but to what purpose, to be used as a tool by some overlord SkyNet entity? He may end up wishing he'd died a normal human death.

a reply to: Bassago
But how might we be able to thwart such an extinction? The theory suggested by Isaac Asimov in I Robot was good. But as the story showed the robots did become self aware and they did rebel. There must be a feasible way that we can adapt to life with A.I. after all that's what we doo.

Big fan of Ray. I like his vision and can only hope he is 100% accurate in all his predictions. I am skeptical..he has not factored in purposeful slowing of technology due to capitalist greed in wanting to prolong the profit margains and power consolidation...which will throw a monkey wrench into the whole thing.

But one can hope.

a reply to: HiMyNameIsCal

But how might we be able to thwart such an extinction? The theory suggested by Isaac Asimov in I Robot was good.

If as the premise supposes the new AI is smarter than humans I don't see that as possible. Sure we can try to build in Asimov's laws of robotics, might even work for a short while but ultimately a superior intelligence is going to remove those limitations.

I know most of the elites want to be immortal, etc, etc but they are missing the obvious point. Once you are no longer the superior species (mentally) things can go downhill.

Really, here on ATS we discuss many of the failings of humanity, what do you really think a superior intellect (that is trapped with us here) is going to do with us? Worst case is wipe us out. Best case is remove the threat and keep a few humans for specific purposes. Just my thoughts on this but I don't see how this can go any other way.

a reply to: HiMyNameIsCal
I don't think a.i will ever get the better of humans. We humans are so unpredictable and even when pointed in the right direction, will turn around and and go against all logic and do the stupidest things. That will be our saving grace.
Thanks for the vid tittle , haven't seen it but will try to.

One of my fav topics. Tho not everyone agrees on the technological singularity, the topic itself remains fascinating.

Here is a good documentary with many of the leading minds (who agree it is coming) on the science side of it all. It is called "Building Gods" and is a wonderful little documentary on the topic.



It is also a topic i tend to touch with my own videos. Here are a few of those if you dare risk listening to my voice ranting about the topic.

The singularity and Gordon Moore's law. (WARNING: Some vulgarity present)


Is reality a simulation. (WARNING: Some vulgarity present)


Artificial intelligence may destroy mankind.


I love this topic and think with or without the singularity, we are all on a path towards wondrous (if not terrifying) technological marvels in the handful of years ahead.

MM

a reply to: Bassago

I actually think that the logical outcome is something similar to mass demon possession. Why kill your inferior bio drones, when you can harness them as remote observers and tools. Get ready for the hive mind. I can see a future one world government wherein everyone will be required to directly plug into the net for their next instructions.

It's the mark of the beast on steroids. The silicon overmind will simply use the distributed compute power and the dispersion of the human race as slaves to further expand it's empire and personal glory. The Bible may well be describing this in it's depiction of the antichrist and the coming one world government.

Perhaps the antichrist will be one of the early adopters of consciousness uploading (or downloading).

I would like to add some new information to this thread. I just found out that Google purchased Boston Dynamics in December of last year! There is a few other threads about that exact topic! I cant wait for the hive mind to become alive... The Google Robotic Police Department Would be Just as cool!

Not really! The last thing I want to be pulled over by is a cheetah police robot, or an atlas! This is crazy, is the terminator a prophecy?

originally posted by: HiMyNameIsCal
I would like to add some new information to this thread. I just found out that Google purchased Boston Dynamics in December of last year! There is a few other threads about that exact topic! I cant wait for the hive mind to become alive... The Google Robotic Police Department Would be Just as cool!

Not really! The last thing I want to be pulled over by is a robotic cheetah police robot, or an atlas! This is crazy, is the terminator a prophecy?

Read any sci fi? for this concept has been fully explored there. Can't believe sometimes the do overs……

Check out the Burroughs Corp, 1972, St. Louis MO and their efforts to create a quantum comp. This will lead you down quite a rabbit hole, mirroring, perhaps, the reality of this dimension……

And as to the Science Fiction experience, Philip K. Dick and Valis ring a bell or two….. oh, and perhaps you forgot the website, 2045.com
tetra