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The American computer scientist and techno-optimist Ray Kurzweil is a long-serving authority on artificial intelligence (AI). His bestselling 2005 book, The Singularity Is Near, sparked imaginations with sci-fi like predictions that computers would reach human-level intelligence by 2029 and that we would merge with computers and become superhuman around 2045, which he called “the Singularity”. Now, nearly 20 years on, Kurzweil, 76, has a sequel, The Singularity Is Nearer – and some of his predictions no longer seem so wacky. Kurzweil’s day job is principal researcher and AI visionary at Google. He spoke to the Observer in his personal capacity as an author, inventor and futurist.

Why write this book? The Singularity Is Near talked about the future, but 20 years ago, when people didn’t know what AI was. It was clear to me what would happen, but it wasn’t clear to everybody. Now AI is dominating the conversation. It is time to take a look again both at the progress we’ve made – large language models (LLMs) are quite delightful to use – and the coming breakthroughs.

How will AI improve our lives in the years to come? From its inception six decades ago to its recent exponential growth, futurist Ray Kurzweil highlights AI’s transformative impact on various fields and explains his prediction for the singularity: the point at which human intelligence merges with machine intelligence.

THE SINGULARITY IS NEARER: When We Merge With A.I., by Ray Kurzweil ______ A central conviction held by artificial intelligence boosters, but largely ignored in public discussions of the technology, is that the ultimate fulfillment of the A.I. revolution will require the deployment of microscopic robots into our veins. In the short term, A.I. may help us print clothing on demand, help prevent cancer and liberate half of the work force. But to…

Explore the concept of the singularity— the point where AI could surpass human intelligence—and its potential impact on society.

A commercial ‘artificial sun’ has achieved its first plasma discharge, the developer says © Getty Images / mesh cube.

The Chinese privately run fusion company Energy Singularity has built the world’s first fully high-temperature superconducting tokamak, and used it to produce plasma, state media outlets have reported, citing the firm.

The creation of the device, dubbed HH70 and located in Shanghai, is seen as a major step in the development of fusion technology to potentially generate clean energy.

Our technological prowess is unrivaled. From the simplest inventions to the most complex machines, we have continually pushed the limits of what is possible. But as our capabilities grow exponentially, a looming question arises: are we heading towards a technological singularity that could change the course of humanity?

The concept of technological singularity has moved beyond the fringes of futurism; it is now an imminent possibility. Defined as the hypothetical future point when technologies have become so advanced that humanity undergoes a dramatic and irreversible change, the singularity presents an inescapable, exhilarating, and terrifying problem for philosophers, scientists, and every human being.

Are we prepared for the implications, the ramifications, and the profound changes that a tech-driven future might bring?

Technological singularity: a hypothetical event where artificial intelligence (AI) surpasses human capabilities and leads to a transformative cascade of change.

Technological singularity: a hypothetical event where artificial intelligence (AI), pushed by exponential growth in computational power and intelligence, surpasses human capabilities and leads to a transformative cascade of change.

Coined by mathematician John von Neumann and popularized by futurist Ray Kurzweil, the singularity signifies a critical moment in human history—one where the trajectory of civilization takes an unpredictable turn and the boundaries between humans and machines blur. Kurzweil argued that technological progress follows an exponential trajectory and predicted that the singularity would occur around the year 2045, leading to a merging of human and machine intelligence and unprecedented levels of innovation.

Watch June’s edition of Inside SingularityNET, featuring exciting news and insightful updates on our AGI R\&D, decentralized AI platform development, progressive decentralization, and broader ecosystem developments.

00:00 — Intro | AI Twin — Dr. Ben Goertzel.
00:48 — Dr. Matt Iklé | CSO — SingularityNET
04:09 — Sergey Shalyapin | CTO — SingularityNET
08:07 — Vita Potapova | Hyperon Project Manager — SingularityNET
13:19 — Alex Blagirev | SIO — SingularityNET
19:10 — Haley Lowy | Marketing Lead — SingularityNET
24:57 — Jan Horlings | CEO — Deep Funding.
31:23 — Esther Galfalvi | Decentralization Program Lead — SingularityNET
34:11 — Peter Elfrink | Community Lead — SingularityNET
35:52 — Stacey Engle | CEO — Twin Protocol.
39:45 — Jennifer Bourke | Marketing and Community Lead — NuNet.
45:02 — Jerry Hall | Marketing Lead — HyperCycle.
47:21 — Patrik Gudev l CEO — Jam Galaxy.
52:23 — Robin Spottiswoode l CTO — Jam Galaxy.
54:40 — Rebekah Pennington | Partnerships and Community — Yaya Labs.
56:03 — Kennedy Schaal | CEO — Rejuve. BIO

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Liquid neural networks, spiking neural networks, neuromorphic chips. The next generation of AI will be very different.
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