Singularity In Technology

Singularity is a hypothetical condition that may arrive in the future where new technologies will change our reality. It is the idea that artificially intelligent machines will take over ordinary human beings. Technological advancement can be out of control and irreversible at this point. This would involve computer programs becoming so advanced that artificial intelligence will be greater than human intelligence, potentially erasing the boundary between humans and computers.

In 1993, Vernor Vinge published an essay The Coming Technological Singularity which popularized the concept of ”Singularity”. He wrote “I believe that the creation of greater-than-human intelligence will occur during the next thirty years.” Ray Kurzweil in his book “The Singularity Is Near” basically agrees with Vinge, he believes we will experience the greatest singularity in the history of humankind by 2045. The consequences of Singularity have been intensely debated since then. Great Minds like Stephen Hawking and Elon Musk have expressed their concern about Singularity and what it would mean for humans. Nanotechnology is considered to be one of the key technology to make singularity a reality.

Since AI has already been known to learn, train and improve itself, singularity could be in the near future. Once there is a super-intelligent AI machine it will be able to create a better version of itself. Then later version would be better and the race will go on. There have been discussions about adding superintelligence capabilities to humans. These could mean biological alteration of the brain, brain implants, and genetic engineering. Humans may potentially be able to scan and store their consciousness in a computer making them eternal in a virtual world. Also, it might be the AI machines taking over the human world like in the movies. Singularity might happen sooner than we think either for best or worst, we will have to see for ourselves.