Just how near is the Singularity?

Well, if you listen to Kurzweil, it isn’t that far off. Some estimates are as early as 2020 for the time when the computer will have approximately the same computing power as the human brain. Theoretically, soon thereafter we will have the singularity.

Personally, I am dubious about whether the singularity will ever come. There is a big difference between converting and processing information vs comprehending its meaning. Read Godel, Escher, Bach for some meditations on recursive thought.

The Singularity is an interesting idea, but we are at the equivalent of crawling when it comes to the sophistication of our artificial intelligence/ computing systems. We have a long way to go imho maybe another 50 – 100 years, if ever.

I agree with @PerryDolia.

Imagine being able to download programs into your brain. Suddenly, you know how to play piano, or speak french, or “i know kung fu?”
Downside: We will probably be infected with pop-up ads.

@sneuron welcome to fluther! Lurve!

I doubt it will ever come within our lifetime. Our most intelligent robot which is the mars rover has about as much b“neurons” as a retarded cockroach. And those Japanese robots dont count. They understand the syntax but not the semantics. To bad though. They’re quite nice otherwise.

I really hope it happens within my lifetime. Early in my lifetime. Because if I understand it correctly, the AI after the Singularity will figure out how to greatly extend my lifetime. That will be cool.

My greatly extended lifetime will allow me to be around when the AI figures out how to clone me new bodies or transplant my consciousness into a robot body with all kinds of killer features like a built-in MP3 player and Wi Fi. That will be cooler.

I’ll then use my immortality to ride on the new spaceships that the AI developed; you know, the ones that go intergalactic (planetary). That will be coolest.

dude… imagine driving with ad-ware in your brain. NO I DONT WANT VIAGRA!!!

TRUCK!!!

When computer programs take over the role of debugging computer programs completely.

Seriously, while Kurzweil might be correct in describing a Law of Accelerating Returns, the question remains whether it applies to all types of technological progress. An IBM computer beat a chess champion. What’s next? So instead of asking just how near is the Singularity, I suggest we first discuss the question, what year will a computer pass the Turing test and collect the final Loebner Prize of $100,000.

Even when computers reach this point, they will lack imagination, which is as important to discovery and theoretical research as intelligence.

Hmm, makes you wonder what would happen when your brain is stuffed with silicon. What if you caught a computer virus? What if you were running around spamming everyone? What if it got into your operating system and couldn’t be removed without destroying half of your personality? What if it got in and took you over? If you become a living zombie?

Has it already happened? Naw, that was an April Fools joke. Still…..

I see, poverty, starvation and nuclear winters.

I see mankind burning out and falling apart before we can possibility reach a technological advancement as Singularity.

Things that were financially feasible some time ago are no longer. When we had no problem dropping 10% of our gross national budget to put a man on the moon. Now is too cost prohibitive.
Sky Scrapers and suspension bridges. Things of the past. Except for the few who’s wealth is acquired on the addictions of others. They too will eventually be brought down.
We will grind to a halt before anything “big” ever happens again.

Before any Singularity or unification of people, time and money propels us forward. We will eventually get to a point were a re-boot will be needed.

Ah @ChazMaz Perky and cheerful, as always!

@daloon – As soon as our brain get merged with technology, personal firewalls become a vital necessity. But I’m not sure I want McAfee’s antivirus software running checks on my brain.

“But I’m not sure I want McAfee’s antivirus software running checks on my brain.”

You would not. You would have McAfee directly connected to your noggin.
Imagine thousands of individuals all jacking into your brain, looking for issues that might slow down you processing ability.

Aaaaaaarrrrrrgggggghhhhhh!

Sounds like somebody got past your firewall wreaking havoc inside your Broca’s area. Aaaaaaarrrrrrgggggghhhhhh!

I think I’ll have my Broca’s area excised. Will that make me happy? Or just dumb?

Happy and smart, of course!

@mattbrowne I read your statement about our brains getting merged with technology, adding to that the amount of information that is “out there” on each one of us; combine those two concepts and extrapolate to the point of “always online” brain connection to the “common knowledge” i.e., the evolved Internet; If everyone knows what you are thinking, that also means you know what everyone else is thinking. What if the end result meant that there is no more dishonesty, no deceit? Is that worth the loss of privacy?

“What if the end result meant that there is no more dishonesty, no deceit? Is that worth the loss of privacy?”

If that truly is what it will be. Someone or something will have to run the machine.
Self preservation and paranoia eventually kicks in and dishonesty, and deceit become subjective.

@Yetanotheruser – Well, avoiding dishonesty at all cost can also get us into trouble. In Germany a woman can legally lie about her pregnancy during a job interview if the question gets asked which is illegal in itself. Or suppose you get invited and don’t like the meal your hosts have prepared.

Technologically, we’re very near. But politics and economics are keeping it at bay. To bring about the singularity, all we need are (1) home fusion generators to give everyone a source of free clean electricity, and (2) 3-D printers (a.k.a matter replicators) to give everyone the ability to manufacture any matrerial item out of thin air. Google these things, they’re entirely possible and very close. Alas, there’s no profit motive for a company to make a commercial fusion generator to give people free electricity, nor to let people make any product at home for free. That’s what’s holding the singularity back.