Brent Kearney

The technological singularity is a point in time when a self-aware artificial intelligence (AI) recursively increases its own intelligence, leading to an “intelligence explosion” of unimaginable scale. Some people consider this project to be the fastest way, perhaps even the only way, for us to solve our most serious problems. As a species, we may not be smart enough to solve the big problems of the human condition, such as war, psychopathy, environmental sustainability, etc., so the idea is to create “super intelligences” that will show us how to fix the potentially civilization-destroying problems we face.

Much of the thinking and effort into strong AI development concerns the obvious risk of the project — how do we ensure that the resulting super-intelligence will be friendly? Or, as Johnathan Goldstein puts it in his interview with AI and robotics researcher Professor Noel Sharkey:

… twenty years from now, you think it’s more likely that a robot will be changing my bedpans than chasing me down the street, with lasers coming out of it’s eyes?

Dr. Sharkey thought that the latter scenario would be very unlikely.

There is another aspect of this super intelligence project that seems to get little mention, at least in the popular literature: what will it be like for them? Will the AIs be able to communicate with us, or for them, would it be like trying to explain calculus to a pigeon? How long will they try before giving up, if indeed at all?

That idea is artfully expressed in the following little piece of creative genius. It is from one of my favorite podcasts, CBC’s Wiretap, with Jonathan Goldstein. This is from the November 21st episode, The Answering Machine, where Goldstein played a reading of “Spirals”, a short story from David Eagleman:

I highly recommend that you listen to the whole episode, which includes the interview with Professor Sharkey and other humourous AI-related material. You can get it here, or in iTunes.

I’ll be attending the Humanity+ Summit next weekend, where one of the leading proponents of strong AI, Ben Goertzel, is speaking. Hopefully I’ll get a chance to ask him about how communication with a super-intelligence will be possible, given the gap.

Throughout the summer of 2009, FastForward Radio did a special series that they called A World Transformed, which provided an overview of the emerging technologies that are poised to radically transform our societies and ourselves in ways that are hardly imaginable. Although the audio sometimes sounds like they’re speaking through a plastic bag into a tin can attached by a string, from the bottom of a well, the interviews with some of the most knowledgeable people in the world on these topics makes listening very worthwhile.

If you’re interested in learning about some exciting developments in science & technology, then I highly recommend that you listen to these podcasts — they’ll blow your mind:

• Part 2: The Era of Indefinite Lifespan
  

  Visionary aging researchers and best-selling authors Aubrey de Grey (Ending Aging) and Terry Grossman (The Baby-Boomer’s Guide to Living Forever, Transcend: Nine Steps to Living Well Forever) explain how indefinite healthy extension of human lifespan is not only possible, but may well soon be within our grasp.

• Part 3: The Nanotechnology Revolution
  

  Nanotechnology promises to change our world in ways that are difficult to predict, or even imagine. Are you ready for:

  …Star Trek style replicators that would allow you to make anything, ANYTHING, you wanted?

  …artificial robotic blood cells that will turn an Average Joe into a world-class athlete, or allow you to hold your breath under water for an hour at a time?

  Nanotechnology promises all of this plus a lot more. We’re joined by a distinguished panel of guests who will help us understand the benefits, and risks, of this technology that will be with us sooner than most of us expect.

• Part 5: Achieving Friendly Artificial Intelligence
  

  In the near future, is machine intelligence going to equal or overtake human intelligence in terms of speed and capability?

  If so, what can we do to make sure these new intelligences are on our side?

• Part 9: The Technological Singularity
  

  Ray Kurzweil has been described as “the restless genius” by the Wall Street Journal, and “the ultimate thinking machine” by Forbes magazine. Inc. magazine ranked him #8 among entrepreneurs in the United States, calling him the “rightful heir to Thomas Edison.” He is a man who wears many hats — businessman, inventor, artist, visionary, and bestselling author. With his book The Singularity Is Near he has probably done more than anyone else to alert the the public as to the amazing period of transformation in which we now live.

I have picked out what I thought were the best of the 10ish podcasts that make up The Speculist’s The World Transformed series, but by all means, check out the full series at their website. Thank you very much, Phil Bowermaster and Stephen Gordon, for putting together this fantastic series to raise awareness and encourage discussion about the promise and peril we face in times ahead.