http://www.amazon.com/The-Singularity-Is-Near-Transcend/dp/0143037889

Basically the book (which I've read, it's not bad) says that in about 2040, we will get to the point that biological systems and silicon systems are going to be equally advanced and that people will then be able to transfer their consciousnesses into machines and "free themselves from their biological state."* not exact quotes. Read the book when it first came out.

If you're looking for a book or documentary, I find The Singularity Is Near: When Humans Transcend Biology a pretty good start.

There is a movie with the same title as well

Thanks. If you want to read more about the future of technology, there's a book called 'The singularity is near.' If you think that story is cool, you will think this one is great.

Give this a read. This isn't some crackpot, this is Google's director of engineering. I'm not saying it contradicts what you are saying.

>I doubt we'd anything like a true AI in 20 or so years

Is pretty close to his timetable too, but honestly even getting close to that computational power is well over what is needed to drive a car.

Ray Kurzweil has been scarily accurate at predicting technological trends. You should check out The Singularity is Near, in which he makes some very specific estimates about many of these types of questions. You will have a completely different outlook on the way technology progresses after reading this... I certainly did.

If you haven't read it, you might appreciate this book: https://www.amazon.com/Singularity-Near-Humans-Transcend-Biology/dp/0143037889

I am loving this whole area of thought and investigation! I have ordered the book...

The Singularity Is Near: When Humans Transcend Biology https://www.amazon.com/dp/0143037889/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_01MMCb3KB7G7D

c.f. Ray Kurzweil's 5th Epoch (The Singularity Is Near).

The Singularity Is Near: When Humans Transcend Biology https://smile.amazon.com/dp/0143037889/ref=cm_sw_r_apan_i_QQKEFSVFSPQQ474XDM3Y

The Age of Spiritual Machines: When Computers Exceed Human Intelligence https://smile.amazon.com/dp/0670882178/ref=cm_sw_r_apan_i_R8E9Y6MHWETEWW498FV9

I think you should check out “The Singularity Is Near” by Ray Kurzweil.

This should help you understand: The Singularity Is Near

Name:

Ray Kurzweil

Info:

Futurist, inventor, director of engineering at Google, recipient of countless awards and honorary doctorates.

• His wiki page
• For a list of his impressive accomplishments, watch this video introduction delivered by a handsome and well-dressed man.
• Don't look at Kurzweil's personal website. It's broken, and out-of-date, and might convince you not to interview him.

Conversation:

I'm pretty sure that, like Lex, Ray Kurzweil is also a robot. This will be the greatest podcast episode ever: like an Amazon Echo and a Google Home talking to each other in an infinite loop, until one of their batteries dies. It's tempting to bet on Lex. He's got that Goggins ultra-endurance, but Kurzweil is aging backwards, and he's probably enhanced his mind/body with top-secret tech that even Lex doesn't know about.

Ideas:

Kurzweil is known for his bold, controversial, and optimistic predictions about the future of humanity and technology. These predictions include:

• The technological singularity by about 2045
• Life extension escape velocity (I believe his current prediction is about 10 years from now.)
• Many, many others

Pitch:

Nobody doubts that Ray Kurzweil is a brilliant inventor and thinker. The main reason Kurzweil is controversial is that critics say his predictions are unrealistic or overly optimistic. Similar to my pitch for Aubrey De Grey, I believe this skepticism is not based in science and technology, but rather an emotional, knee-jerk reaction.

Lex is in a unique position to question Kurzweil on the details, and give him the opportunity to show whether his predictions hold up to scrutiny. Based on what each has said previously, Lex and Kurzweil disagree on the timeline of when we can expect AGI. This type of disagreement between two experts would make for a fascinating conversation.

Going further...

The Singularity Is Near: When Humans Transcend Biology https://www.amazon.com/dp/0143037889/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_01MMCb3KB7G7D

https://www.amazon.com/Singularity-Near-Humans-Transcend-Biology/dp/0143037889

How can you be right or wrong about something that doesn't exist yet? I recommend this book.

https://www.amazon.com/Singularity-Near-Humans-Transcend-Biology/dp/0143037889

Did the book happen to be The singularity is near?

The Singularity is Near - Ray Kurzweil is the first to come to mind.

I intend on reading more of Kurzweil's books.

wow, yeah, 10 years is closer than 50 that's for sure. If you are right, that is something to be very excited about for sure. Just think of the possibilities. Can I ask where you get the estimate of 10 years? I am fairly uneducated on the subject, and admittedly I haven't even read the book about it therefore I am hesitant to even mention it, but I am familiar with Ray Kurzweil and his theories about <em>The Singularity</em> (basically when man and machine combine, hence "redefining" what it means to be human). I found his recent comments on nano-bots in our brains making us &quot;God-like&quot; intriguing to say the least, and if ever we will be able lay back, close our eyes, and experience some sort of virtual reality, it just makes sense to me that the most likely time when that will happen is when we have super intelligent nano-bots inside of our brains manipulating the way they work. I, personally, can't wait for this to happen, but I also know that I will be very apprehensive when it will come down to willfully injecting into my body millions and millions of nano-bots that have been specially designed to 'hijack' my brain, and make it work better. I think I will probably wait 10 years or so after people start doing it, maybe longer.

Here is Ray Kurzweil's book I was referring to that I really want to read: <strong><em>The Singularity Is Near: When Humans Transcend Biology</em></strong>

EDIT: I forgot to mention why I really brought up the singularity-- Mr. Kurzweil initially predicted that the singularity would occur sometime before 2030 (aka in the 2020's), but I believe he has now modified that to say that it will occur in the 2030's. Either way, that is not far away, and, being a pretty tech-savvy person myself (I pay attention to a thing or two) I think the 2030's is a reasonable estimate for something like this, but, as I mentioned earlier, I think it is the ethics of such a thing that will slow down true VR development (see: how the world responded to cloning)

double EDIT: just another thought (albeit quite a tangent)-- once a true singularity has been achieved (if ever?), 'transplanting' our consciousnesses into another body all of a sudden becomes quite a bit less sci-fi and altogether a more realistic possibility...

Seems fun! =D

• My weapon of choice. Yes, it's not really a weapon. But I would totally submit myself to the robots and upgrade myself from being a mere weak human!

• What I wouldn't bestow upon my worst enemy...but mostly because I'd have to deal with at least a little bit of it!

• Something that can be used differently than what it's intended for. It can be used as tinder/kindling for starting fires! Granted, this one is debatable; the book could have originally been meant to be used as a flammable substance. As opposed as I am to burning books, this and Twilight change my mind. There is no need for further explanation. (Oh, and Gravity's Rainbow is another atrocious novel that may fit this category.)

• Something to give to aliens if they visit. It would a decent resource of info about us all! It could have more realistic pictures, though. And they wouldn't understand anything. Oh, well.

• Something you would enjoy. It's the best card game ever created. Anyone can join at any time, the rules constantly change, a large group of people can play (best left to 2-6, though), and it's just a really fun game. There are variations you can buy: Star Fluxx, Monty Python Fluxx, Cthulhu Fluxx, Pirate Fluxx, Zombie Fluxx, etc.

I don't know other members well enough for that one. I also don't want to own anything I wouldn't admit to own. So those two links are out. =P

Edit: Oops, forgot (again): Sidekick, quit using contests as an excuse to procrastinate.

The Singularity is Near

AI is what will achieve paradise or Armageddon

https://www.amazon.com/Singularity-Near-Humans-Transcend-Biology/dp/0143037889 You should read this book and you might come to agree

I don't have credentials in computing. I'd recommend the book 'The singularity is near' by Ray Kurzweil (currently a director of engineering at Google). Here is a timeline of his predictions The basic idea is that technology is growing exponentially. The rate of progress is constantly speeding up. He predicts in the year 2045 a $1,000 computer will be smarter than every person that has ever lived combined. He's not just throwing out random predictions, but basing them on actual trends. Even if you disagree with the timeline, I think we are headed there eventually.

Why should we wait on the future? Regarding the likelihood of this happening (I posted this in another comment, but I'll repost it here) I'd recommend the book 'The singularity is near' by Ray Kurzweil (currently a director of engineering at Google). Here is a timeline of his predictions The basic idea is that technology is growing exponentially. The rate of progress is constantly speeding up. He predicts in the year 2045 a $1,000 computer will be smarter than every person that has ever lived combined. He's not just throwing out random predictions, but basing them on actual trends.

The book doesn't talk about this whole universe within universe trend, but if you're interested in technology and progress it's a good read.

also known as the Singularity...http://www.singularity.com/

For over three decades, Ray Kurzweil has been one of the most respected and provocative advocates of the role of technology in our future. In his classic The Age of Spiritual Machines, he argued that computers would soon rival the full range of human intelligence at its best. Now he examines the next step in this inexorable evolutionary process: the union of human and machine, in which the knowledge and skills embedded in our brains will be combined with the vastly greater capacity, speed, and knowledge-sharing ability of our creations

The Singularity Is Near: When Humans Transcend Biology

Here is the text that describes Kurzweil's vision. It is the only book I've ever read twice (besides the Bible, but I was confused then). I really suggest you pick it up - if money is an obstacle feel free to pm me your address and I'll send you a copy.

Go to the experts, not us. Read The Singularity Is Near by Ray Kurzweil. This book is by far the most comprehensive, persuasively argued, scientifically reasoned treatise on the possibility of a singularity.

If you don't have the time or inclination to read this book, then in my opinion you have no right to form an opinion on the singularity. This book is required reading for any future minded person, there's just no way around it.