1965 Moore's Law predicted the rapid development of computer technology. After 50 years, this law will no longer apply, but the artificial intelligence with the birth of computer technology is mature and powerful enough to cause new concerns. In 2009, robots jointly developed by the University of Wales and the University of Cambridge have been able to carry out scientific research and discovery independently. In the same year, Cornell University's computer project summarized the law of motion from the swing of the pendulum. It is an indisputable fact that machines are getting smarter, so one day, will they really surpass humans?
1983, the mathematician Vernor Vinge put forward the concept of technological singularity. He defined singularity as the point in time when artificial intelligence exceeds the limit of human intelligence. After that moment, the development of the world will be beyond human understanding. Since then, "technological singularity" seems to be a sword of Damocles. At first, only some science fiction writers and so-called "futurists" and "prophets" thought it existed. However, with the development of computer technology, more and more scientists, economists and entrepreneurs, such as technologist, founder of solar microsystem Bill Joy and economist robby henson, began to worry about the shaky sharp edge above their heads. Even the second episode of the popular American TV series "The Big Bang Theory" in the fourth season, the story revolves around the arrival time of the singularity.
In 2009, Kurzweil and the founder of X-Prize, Peter diamandi, established Singularity University, which is dedicated to "gathering, educating and inspiring a group of core leaders to meet the important challenges faced by mankind under the exponential growth of science and technology". It seems that the defense of mankind is imminent. This university was established with the joint support of Google, Autodesk and American Genentech Corporation. It has three projects, covering robotics, medicine, biotechnology, data science and enterprise management. Compared with the overall goal it wants to achieve, the university now seems to be just a platform for the exchange of cutting-edge technologies and talents and a springboard for the investment of start-ups. It remains to be seen whether it is feasible to "solve the challenges brought by technology with technology".
Before considering how to deal with the singularity crisis, we should think more about what will happen to the world after the singularity. The core issues of the post-singularity world include how artificial intelligence has self-awareness, the biological definition of the combination of man and machine, and the evolution of the relationship between machine and man. Throughout the ages, science fiction writers have racked their brains to rationalize these ideas, thinking that the most successful explanation comes from the British writer Charles Stross. In his collection of short stories "Acceleration", human beings after the singularity only exist as the object of machine exploitation, while the solar system has become a Matrioshka brain with far more wisdom than human beings, communicating with other similar agents in the universe through wormholes. The existence of human nature is no longer important, even the protagonist of the novel is a combination of man and computer.
Does it sound too mysterious? At this time, we may think of the optimistic Asimov and his three laws of robots, and begin to doubt whether the technological singularity really exists in the near future. Asimov also envisioned a post-singularity world-in this world, artificial intelligence and "post-human" exist at the same time, but artificial intelligence still takes orders from post-human-if human beings rule the earth in a more advanced way, then the significance of singularity will naturally disappear. A more direct objection comes from cognitive scientist Steven Pinker. He believes that many scientific fantasies such as dome cities and nuclear cars have not been realized, and the technological singularity is likely to be a false proposition. Martin Ford, an entrepreneur and engineer, analyzed the possibility of technological singularity in a more rational way. He believes that there is a "technical paradox" in this proposition-before reaching the technical singularity, a large number of labor forces must have been replaced by machines, and the resulting large number of unemployment will lead to a linear reduction in demand, thus reducing the motivation for scientific and technological investment and hindering the development of technology to the "singularity" level.
A more radical idea is that the "singularity" has arrived. As early as when humans began to drill wood for fire, the rule of tools began. Who can say that modern human values, including humanity, were not shaped by the tool age? So, the real question is not whether the singularity will come. Since technological progress is an unstoppable process, it is an urgent question whether human beings have the confidence to continue their values in the face of the all-round attack of technology.