Singularity

[yogi]

The term singularity is taken from physics and is currently being applied to artificial intelligence (AI). It's inevitable that AI will eventually be as smart as humans and get better from there. Some folks who are in the know suggest it will happen about 2047 - thirty years from now. But, just what is singularity?

“For some people, the singularity is the moment in which we have an artificial super intelligence which has all the capabilities of the human mind, and is slightly better than the human mind,” Scott tells Inverse. “But I think that is a big ask.” That argument predicts that not only will the singularity software or other platform be smarter than people, but that it also will have the ability to improve itself, he explains. “When you get into territory when the system is smarter than the smartest human, and you can’t comprehend what it will do or what its objective is.”

The article is fairly easy to understand and describes some of the implications of AI signularity. I will not be around to see it, but my children might, and my grandchildren definitely will.

https://www.inverse.com/article/29729-s ... redictions

[tomsk]

this is way over my head ...sorry Yogi!

[yogi]

It's just saying that some day machines will be more intelligent than humans. It takes a guess and predicts that day to be in 2047.

[Kellemora]

I think we already have a lot of devices that are smarter than humans, and more reliable, hi hi...

[yogi]

You are correct Gary. There is some discussion as to how singularity will be reached. Will it all happen all at once on a give day, or will it gradually build up from several independent sources. Some machines already are smarter than humans which lends credence to the argument that it's beginning already.

[pilvikki]

well, gary and i will celebrate our 100th b-days in 2047...

being smarter than people really isn't a challenge.

[yogi]

It's not a challenge but think about the implications. That robot with artificial intelligence will be looking down upon us as being inferior. It could decide we are useless at some point. Then what?

A very interesting read: http://theweek.com/articles/689359/how- ... telligence

[pilvikki]

it really was interestinhg.
well, one thing that worries me is how many of these programmers etc are kids. really, really smart kids, but lacking a lot of living and vision beyond the keyboard.

let's take catherine. totally different field, but same idea: mid 40's, she always aced all her courses, she runs her own company, is very wealthy and all her own doing.

she cannot grasp a blond joke.

[yogi]

The good(?) news is that most of the research and funding goes to big corporations and schools with a lot of eggheads on staff. We can presume they are intelligent people and not some high school hacker club. Be that as it may, as the article points out, even good intentions can lead to unpredictable results. I'm not sure I want a machine to be smarter than me unless I can pull it's plug if it gets out of line.