FastForward Radio -- The Technological Singularity
The World Transformed, Part 9
What is the Singularity? Is it the biggest transformation of all or wishful thinking on the part of nerds looking to have their very own "geek rapture?"
Phil Bowermaster and Stephen Gordon welcome futurist and entrepreneur Ray Kurzweil to discuss how accelerating technological change will soon alter our world beyond recognition...and why that's a good thing!
Archived recording available here:
About our guest:
What is the Singularity? Is it the biggest transformation of all or wishful thinking on the part of nerds looking to have their very own "geek rapture?"
Phil Bowermaster and Stephen Gordon welcome futurist and entrepreneur Ray Kurzweil to discuss how accelerating technological change will soon alter our world beyond recognition...and why that's a good thing!
Archived recording available here:
About our guest:
| Ray Kurzweil has been described as "the restless genius" by the Wall Street Journal, and "the ultimate thinking machine" by Forbes magazine. Inc. magazine ranked him #8 among entrepreneurs in the United States, calling him the "rightful heir to Thomas Edison." He is a man who wears many hats -- businessman, inventor, artist, visionary, and bestselling author. With his book The Singularity Is Near he has probably done more than anyone else to alert the the public as to the amazing period of transformation in which we now live. |  |
Comments
Please ask Mr. Kurzweil to clarify whether he considers the Technological Singularity concept as a unique circumstance or only a very rare occurance; basicly, is it "a" singularity or "the" singularity? Further, does he consider the propagation rate of a singularity event to be integral to the event? From his AI example, how soon after initial creation of such an entity does he consider the event to have occured? Does the entity have to be self sustaining? Demonstrated self-initiated propagation? To what extent is the/a singularity "event" actually a process?
Looking forward to hearing this show guys.
Posted by: Will Brown | August 18, 2009 01:17 PM
good show. been reading ray for a while now (and love the guy). the interesting part of the story for me is that i don't think anyone really knows how wierd it's going to get (ray included), even in the near future. sort of like the universe..........it's not only stranger than we imagine, it's stranger than we can imagine.
good night from the left coast.
d
Posted by: doc | August 18, 2009 09:33 PM
Humph! Essay question indeed.
Building on Stephen's idea regarding near-term AI research possibility, how about an AI interface for automotive repair work? Modern autos (aircraft, ships, etc) are computer controlled to an often unappreciated degree. A plug-in interactive interface device would greatly expand the capability of individuals to maintain/modify their own property then is the case now.
Posted by: Will Brown | August 19, 2009 01:20 AM
I'd like an update on the timeline for the singularity - have any of the estimates changed since his last book on the subject (The Singularity is Near - 2006)? Where do we stand today and what is the latest on Moore's law, DNA decoding/biotech, solar power, and nanotechnology.
Posted by: Sam Thompson | August 19, 2009 01:56 AM
It was a great show, and a big crowd in the chat room. That was the first time I've heard Ray Kurzweil, and I was impressed.
Posted by: Harvey | August 19, 2009 12:57 PM
Sorry I missed it. I was up at the lake. This was the show I really wanted to listen to live and participate in the chat room. Bad timing.
I'll be sure to listen to it on streaming audio.
Posted by: Sally Morem | August 20, 2009 03:12 PM
I did listen to the streaming audio of the show last night. All in all, it was a solid summary of Kurzweil's assertions, which he made in his book and in a number of lectures I've heard online.
I'm looking forward to participating in the chat room during the final show of the series. I hope it deals mostly with what may be happening when we get really close to the Singularity and thereafter.
Really wild and crazy ideas, the wilder and crazier, the better.
Posted by: Sally Morem | August 21, 2009 11:50 AM