Ray Kurzweil: The Singularity that Will Transform the World
Ray Kurzweil is one of the most prolific inventors alive, and he has also made numerous startlingly accurate predictions. In this video, he talks about his vision of the Singularity -- a point around 2045 when computers will acquire full-blown artificial intelligence.
If Kurzweil is right, there will be supercomputers more powerful than every human brain on the planet combined within a few decades.
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Shift Happens -- Some of the Most Amazing Statistics You Never Knew
The United States may be the world's leading power in terms of economic, social, political and technological impact, but you might think twice about how long that'll continue.
Watching this short and very interesting video from glumbert.com, which compares America to other countries by the numbers, along with huge shifts in technology may change your mind.
What follows are just a few of the many amazing statistics that will shock and concern you, especially if you're an American. Then, click the video below to watch the entire list.
* An American student will have as many as 14 jobs by the time he or she turns age 38.
* More than 3,000 new books are published in the United States every DAY.
* The amount of new technical information doubles every two years, which means students attending a technical school will learn information that will be outdated by their third year.
* The number of words in the English language is 540,000 -- that is FIVE times the number of words present during Shakespeare's time.
Future Robots -- The Singularity is Expected to Arrive in 13 Years
A singularity is a term that happens when the exponential growth in technology reaches a point where the consequences are completely unknown.
The AI pioneer, mathematician and author Vernor Vinge estimates that one such singularity will occur by the year 2020, and that the cause will be the creation of robots "who surpass humans in every intellectual and creative dimension."
He believes that this development is the most likely non-catastrophic outcome in the next few decades. What happens beyond that singularity, Vinge says, will be profound and unimaginable.
In the meantime, Vinge believes we'll see many more mobile robots than ever before, including ones that are equipped to be more agile and coordinated than human athletes could ever hope to be, even in open field situations.
Computerworld May 7, 2007
Dr. Mercola's Comment:
Artificial intelligence (AI) and robotics certainly offer some exciting developments. The question is, though, how both will affect our world in the future.
Seems like you won't have long to wait, according to the linked interview with Vernor Vinge. Not surprising, when you consider that businesses like Honda and Sony are already working toward making robots a ubiquitous presence in our lives.
Even more exciting to me is his notion that governmental abuses in their present form -- especially those that harm your health like the Vioxx debacle -- may disappear, thanks to the empowerment and freedom technology brings, via online networks, online databases, social networks and Web sites like Mercola.com.
All of these advantages brought about by growth of the Internet will serve to make people -- fueled by deep knowledge -- more resourceful, vigilant and diverse than any government could ever be.
I really believe that the powers currently in control of the world are not expecting the amazing forces that are being unleashed, especially with the Internet. I remain confident that sites like Mercola.com will be instrumental in educating the masses about simple, practical and inexpensive tools that allow people like you to Take Control of Your Health.
[via mercola.com]
