The technological singularity

[RGarrison2018]

I read Kurzweil's book, but it has been several years.  Personally, I don't see the technological singularity taking place in the next eleven years.  Even at the pace that technology is moving, that just seems to be a bit too optimistic as well as psychologically flavored by Kurzweil's hope that he himself will be able to use the technological singularity to escape death and bring his father back to life in some form.  I've heard this called "The Rapture for nerds," and I tend to agree with that assessment.  We also have to keep in mind that there is still a lot we don't understand about the mind and human consciousness.  Is consciousness a result of the structure of the brain, or is consciousness a pre-existing fundamental aspect of reality that the brain somehow channels?  My honest answer is I have no idea, but it seems to me that in order to create consciousness, we would first need to understand what it is, and how it operates within the biological human mind. 

[1715087022]

1715087022

[1715087022]

1715087022

[1715087022]

1715087022

[Thekool1s]

I agree with theymos, We won't see GAI anytime soon, once we have figured what consciousness is and how it is formed surely we will be able to make anything conscious. Quantum computing will help us in understanding consciousness. Once we understand it may be we will be able to clone it or even create it. But I don't see it happening in this century yet alone in the next few decades.

But my question is, do we really need artificial consciousness to save humanity? Weren't Quantum-Computers supposed to be the salvation of humanity? They were supposed to be mythical devices which would enable us to do 'godlike' things. Like curing cancer, Living forever or just as RGarrision mentioned, bringing dead to life. Why is that narrative not getting any traction anymore? We are closer to quantum-computers than GAI yet we hardly see/hear about them in the mainstream media. Are they trying to suppress the technology? To me, its just odd that AI is getting a lot of attention while the thing which could save us might be just around the corner.

[Impulseboy]

The technological singularity, how far are we off from the 2045 date when this will all come together to the next leap in civilisation or that computers will be as smart as humans by 2029 - according to Ray Kurzweil

Whats your guys thoughts..

I do not doubt that technological singularity is upon us, however, giving a specific year for this to happen is far-fetched. When we are approaching the year 2000, people made predictions, too. They said that by 2000 computers will bring doomsday, or that we will be living in ice age, none of which have come true. Although I believe that singularity may eventually happen, I think that saying it will happen in 11 years is a little too far.

[goldSkylark]

I read Kurzweil's book, but it has been several years.  Personally, I don't see the technological singularity taking place in the next eleven years.  Even at the pace that technology is moving, that just seems to be a bit too optimistic as well as psychologically flavored by Kurzweil's hope that he himself will be able to use the technological singularity to escape death and bring his father back to life in some form.  I've heard this called "The Rapture for nerds," and I tend to agree with that assessment.  We also have to keep in mind that there is still a lot we don't understand about the mind and human consciousness.  Is consciousness a result of the structure of the brain, or is consciousness a pre-existing fundamental aspect of reality that the brain somehow channels?  My honest answer is I have no idea, but it seems to me that in order to create consciousness, we would first need to understand what it is, and how it operates within the biological human mind. 

I have yet to read Kurzweil's book, but I have read Virternity by David Evans Bailey. Have you read or heard about it? The concepts are quite similar. Virternity explores the concept of digital immortality in a virtual realm, via mind uploading.
All this discussion just means this could actually be the world future, huh?

[Spendulus]

The technological singularity, how far are we off from the 2045 date when this will all come together to the next leap in civilisation or that computers will be as smart as humans by 2029 - according to Ray Kurzweil

Whats your guys thoughts..

I do not doubt that technological singularity is upon us, however, giving a specific year for this to happen is far-fetched. When we are approaching the year 2000, people made predictions, too. They said that by 2000 computers will bring doomsday, or that we will be living in ice age, none of which have come true. Although I believe that singularity may eventually happen, I think that saying it will happen in 11 years is a little too far.

Given there are billions of planets supporting life, it would seem reasonable that technological singularities have occurred countless times and exist now. Somewhere else, of course, to the extent that matters.

[FilesFM_Announcements]

I read Kurzweil's book, but it has been several years.  Personally, I don't see the technological singularity taking place in the next eleven years.  Even at the pace that technology is moving, that just seems to be a bit too optimistic as well as psychologically flavored by Kurzweil's hope that he himself will be able to use the technological singularity to escape death and bring his father back to life in some form.  I've heard this called "The Rapture for nerds," and I tend to agree with that assessment.  We also have to keep in mind that there is still a lot we don't understand about the mind and human consciousness.  Is consciousness a result of the structure of the brain, or is consciousness a pre-existing fundamental aspect of reality that the brain somehow channels?  My honest answer is I have no idea, but it seems to me that in order to create consciousness, we would first need to understand what it is, and how it operates within the biological human mind. 

I have yet to read Kurzweil's book, but I have read Virternity by David Evans Bailey. Have you read or heard about it? The concepts are quite similar. Virternity explores the concept of digital immortality in a virtual realm, via mind uploading.
All this discussion just means this could actually be the world future, huh?

Its in our nature ever since picking up the first stick and knocking an apple of a tree as primal man.. to do things which are more energy efficient and require a lot less resources or effort.. 'path of least resistance' I suppose one could say... its logical that if oneway we could exist eternally in a digital form without requiring food, water, oxygen and all the other earthly bound things that a digital existence would be the most practical. but it would surely require a whole shift in our capitalist, economic existence.. and to eradicate greed and discernible characteristics which make us HUMAN.. one way to solve this might be a hive mind which others can see how and what we are thinking as a way to temper our own self centred ambitions. what do you think?

[TECSHARE]

IMO the base premise that most of you are operating on is flawed. Most of you assume we are all privy to the latest cutting edge technological advancements. We are not. We are many times insulated and removed, and quite purposefully.

You will realize we have reached the singularity as the world starts changing more aggressively, like a boa constrictor, it wraps around and squeezes just a bit tighter each time you take a breath. We all already largely live in a very carefully crafted illusion. The transition will be seamless, but not painless.

[af_newbie]

QUANTUM ARTIFICIAL LIFE CREATED FOR FIRST TIME

https://www.newsweek.com/quantum-artificial-life-created-first-time-1163859

[BADecker]

The technological singularity, how far are we off from the 2045 date when this will all come together to the next leap in civilisation or that computers will be as smart as humans by 2029 - according to Ray Kurzweil

Whats your guys thoughts..

Personally, I think that computers are already three times smarter than people. Do you think so too?

Not a chance. It's like comparing a Microsoft Windows computer to an ASICs computer. A Windows PC can do multitudes of things that an ASIC can't do. It's just that the ASIC has been designed to do the one thing that it does very fast. Such doesn't make the ASIC smarter than Windows. They are simply different and have different jobs.

The point is, will you ever be able to make a computer that has real identity, real feelings, real emotions, so that when it says "I," it is really existing as a sentient being?

[Luke_Turner]

depends on what are you talking about. AI? maybe. genetic editing? possibly. mind uploading? I don't know but 2045 seems way too soon. i've never even heard a company that's working on mind uploading. have you?

[Thekool1s]

depends on what are you talking about. AI? maybe. genetic editing? possibly. mind uploading? I don't know but 2045 seems way too soon. i've never even heard a company that's working on mind uploading. have you?

I guess you are talking about this? http://2045.com/ I haven't followed them lately. But it looked interesting in 2013 to me. I will do some reading on how far they have come.

Not a chance. It's like comparing a Microsoft Windows computer to an ASICs computer. A Windows PC can do multitudes of things that an ASIC can't do. It's just that the ASIC has been designed to do the one thing that it does very fast. Such doesn't make the ASIC smarter than Windows. They are simply different and have different jobs.

Well, have you considered about "FPGAs"? They can be "programmed" to be better at almost any algo. Same is happening with AIs. Have you seen Baxter? How it can be taught to perform any task? General purpose AI's are right about the corner and you should be worried if you don't own the means of production.

[Spendulus]

....
Well, have you considered about "FPGA's"? They can be "programmed" to be better at almost any algo. Same is happening with AIs. Have you seen Baxter? How it can be taught to perform any task? General purpose AI's are right about the corner and you should be worried if you don't own the means of production.

Those can't begin to match my beer-drinking algorithms.

[Thekool1s]

....
Well, have you considered about "FPGA's"? They can be "programmed" to be better at almost any algo. Same is happening with AIs. Have you seen Baxter? How it can be taught to perform any task? General purpose AI's are right about the corner and you should be worried if you don't own the means of production.

Those can't begin to match my beer-drinking algorithms.

Lol, I would suggest doing a "check-up" with a "developer". You may need "re-programming" of sorts. I have heard "Beer-drinking" algorithms can be quite harmful if not "re-programmed".

[James_Cline]

I agree with theymos, We won't see GAI anytime soon, once we have figured what consciousness is and how it is formed surely we will be able to make anything conscious. Quantum computing will help us in understanding consciousness. Once we understand it may be we will be able to clone it or even create it. But I don't see it happening in this century yet alone in the next few decades.

But my question is, do we really need artificial consciousness to save humanity? Weren't Quantum-Computers supposed to be the salvation of humanity? They were supposed to be mythical devices which would enable us to do 'godlike' things. Like curing cancer, Living forever or just as RGarrision mentioned, bringing dead to life. Why is that narrative not getting any traction anymore? We are closer to quantum-computers than GAI yet we hardly see/hear about them in the mainstream media. Are they trying to suppress the technology? To me, its just odd that AI is getting a lot of attention while the thing which could save us might be just around the corner.

Good point. I’ve also noticed how the spotlight is now being placed on AI. Why? It’s not the only technology that would be imperative in the future. What about blockchain, virtual and augmented realities? These could all contribute to singularity, correct?

[TECSHARE]

Good point. I’ve also noticed how the spotlight is now being placed on AI. Why? It’s not the only technology that would be imperative in the future. What about blockchain, virtual and augmented realities? These could all contribute to singularity, correct?

AI with the ability to engage in commerce? I would say so.

[Christopher_Hayes]

If China continues to release new technology every month, then technological singularity is definitely possible by 2045. In a short span of time, China was able to introduce several AI-related technologies already: social credit system and artificial moon. I wouldn't be surprised if in 10 years they will be introducing us to the first AI robot.

[GasMan512]

Dont know a lot about technical singularity, but i am interested about what will be with philosophy when a bigger part of humanity will have eternal lifes.

[Spendulus]

....
Well, have you considered about "FPGA's"? They can be "programmed" to be better at almost any algo. Same is happening with AIs. Have you seen Baxter? How it can be taught to perform any task? General purpose AI's are right about the corner and you should be worried if you don't own the means of production.

Those can't begin to match my beer-drinking algorithms.

Lol, I would suggest doing a "check-up" with a "developer". You may need "re-programming" of sorts. I have heard "Beer-drinking" algorithms can be quite harmful if not "re-programmed".

That's possible. But it's also possible that the new super intelligent AI may need reprogramming, to appreciate the finer aspects of consciousness. We'll start it on beer, and then gradually move to sativa level weed.

[Thekool1s]

....
Well, have you considered about "FPGA's"? They can be "programmed" to be better at almost any algo. Same is happening with AIs. Have you seen Baxter? How it can be taught to perform any task? General purpose AI's are right about the corner and you should be worried if you don't own the means of production.

Those can't begin to match my beer-drinking algorithms.

Lol, I would suggest doing a "check-up" with a "developer". You may need "re-programming" of sorts. I have heard "Beer-drinking" algorithms can be quite harmful if not "re-programmed".

That's possible. But it's also possible that the new super intelligent AI may need reprogramming, to appreciate the finer aspects of consciousness. We'll start it on beer, and then gradually move to sativa level weed.

Lol xDD, I mean why would a "being" already in a state of "higher" consciousness would want to get "high" xDD

[Spendulus]

....
Well, have you considered about "FPGA's"? They can be "programmed" to be better at almost any algo. Same is happening with AIs. Have you seen Baxter? How it can be taught to perform any task? General purpose AI's are right about the corner and you should be worried if you don't own the means of production.

Those can't begin to match my beer-drinking algorithms.

Lol, I would suggest doing a "check-up" with a "developer". You may need "re-programming" of sorts. I have heard "Beer-drinking" algorithms can be quite harmful if not "re-programmed".

That's possible. But it's also possible that the new super intelligent AI may need reprogramming, to appreciate the finer aspects of consciousness. We'll start it on beer, and then gradually move to sativa level weed.

Lol xDD, I mean why would a "being" already in "higher" consciousness would want to get "high" xDD

Well, what do you know? Have you asked one lately?