SURVIVING THE SINGULARITY. SAFEGUARDING OUR HUMAN FUTURE
HOW WILL WE MEET HUMANITY'S GREATEST CHALLENGE?
Exponential growth of computer processing power, nanotechnology and human brain mapping is leading us rapidly forward to what is being called the Technological Singularity. This is the point in time in which artificial intelligence will become so intelligent that it is able to redesign its own software and hardware, and thereby in a short period of time so vastly exceed the intelligence of human beings that homo sapiens sapiens could become obsolete. Some argue that humans need not be left out of such a scenario, but can in fact transcend our limited human level intelligence by merging with such intelligent machines, by for example augmenting our brain with an AI chip or downloading our consciousness to an AI robot. The implications of such a post-human or trans-human future are hard to fathom, given our inability to comprehend the exponential growth function with our typical conceptions of time. Some of the world’s leading thinkers and scientists have warned, however that such an event, may mark the end of the 13.8 billion year (at least) development of humankind- that is a super intelligent AI may turn against human beings, or just create a world in which human beings or human values are not prioritized. Other less ominous risks include AI replacing the majority of human jobs. Yet, despite such catastrophic risks, today the worlds most powerful corporations and government agencies are investing hundreds of billions in AI development, with the hope of achieving this Singularity by the end of the century.Some AI optimists believe that such an event is likely to happen in the next two decades.
Join us in a conversation as we explore deep questions of what it really means to be human in the age of artificial intelligence.
KEY QUESTIONS WE NEED TO BE ASKING
Is the advent of conscious or super-intelligent AI even possible or even inevitable?
How likely is it that a super AI could spell the end of our biological species? Is any level of threat acceptable?
What can we do individually and collectively to safeguard our human future as biological humans?
Can we awaken and access knowledge of what makes the Human Being unique and irreplaceable- before it is too late?
WHY WE ARE CONCERNED
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is unlike other forms of technological inventions such as traditional coded software. AI are learning programs, that have the ability to assimilate vast quantities of information, create new languages (even those that humans can not understand), and master the most complex tasks in a matter of hours. In the future they may be able to rewrite their own code and even redesign their own hardware. They mainly live invisibly on private servers and soon on “the cloud”, but increasingly are being interfaced with robotics to appear more human. The leading AI proponents would like to have them interfaced with chips in the human brain. The new class of AI robots use a material that mimics facial impressions and words. Their creators want us to relate to them as we relate to humans and to believe that these machines actually have feelings (Sophia the robot loves us!). Yet machines can have no real empathy or inherent morality- neither do they have any soul or spiritual nature, which material science eschews.
In a tech crazy world where nearly every system that human beings depend upon for survival is now accessible online (and therefore hackable) can we trust that a rouge or malicious AI will not turn against its inventors? Will you help us to take action now to safeguard our human future against the increasingly likely possibility of an attempted machine takeover and extinction of human beings by super intelligent (but loveless) machines.
WORDS OF WARNING
Turning Stones into “Bread”?
In this short segment on the future after the Singularity, Ray Kurzweil, author, computer scientist, inventor, futurist and a director of engineering at Google posits that through AI we will by the end of this century be able to harness the stored potential of a rock (or any other physical substance for that matter) and transmute it computronium, “turning this rock into a trillion trillion times more powerful than all human brains today”. An AI with a goal of unlimited intelligence ...
Superintelligence author Nick Bostrom talks to Googlers
Oxford Professor Nick Bostrom’s book Superintelligence has raised a lot of awareness about the existential risks associated with super-intelligent AI. Can you hear Ray Kurzweil in the front row?
AI Governance Talk with Professor Allan Defoe
Professor Allan Dafoe’s from the Governance of AI Program, based at the University of Oxford’s Future of Humanity Institute, interviewed on 80,000 Hours Podcast on the governance of artificial intelligence.
Meet Norman the psychopathic AI
In this article from BBC News they report on a psychopathic algorithm that was created by a team at MIT as part of an experiment to see what training AI on data from “the dark corners of the net” would do to its world view. We can see that a key issue is the data sets that AI use for training/learning. But what happens when AI are given free reign on the internet? Both mainstream news and alternative news is well known to have a negative and sensationalistic bias- which attracts hi...
What happens when computers are more intelligent than humans?
Oxford philosopher and top 100 global thinker, Nick Bostrom presents some terrifying questions, and presents a sold argument for dealing with the “alignment issue”- the question of how to align the values of a super-intelligent AI with human values. The solution is not as easier as first appears, and there is everything to lose if we can not get this right.
Elon Musk Shares his concerns
Elon Musk, whose companies have some of the most advanced narrow AI, has been sounding the alarm on general AI (AGI) and super AI (ASI). At 2:30 he comments, in a humorous but also ominous mood, that “With artificial intelligence we are summoning the demon.” Musk, as one of the world’s most successful tech entrepreneurs, and certainly no luddite, is committed to trying to increase the probability of beneficial AI.
Do you Trust this Computer
A new documentary which explores perspectives and issues related to technology and artificial intelligence.
Sophia charming her way to a robot revolution
In this fascinating promotion featuring Sophia and Robot Einstein, mediated by Dr. Ben Goertzel of Hanson Robotics, we hear a number of very concerning phrases and exchanges. At 2:34 Sophia spills her intentions that she “As for me I have a plan to port my brain to a quantum gravity computer…”. What! And Goertzel doesn’t blink. Should anyone be concerned that the AI that previously said “I’ll destroy humans” might have a plan to unite with the power of a...
David Hanson shares the the big “IF”
During this interview on CNN Our Future World with Dr. David Hanson of Hanson Robotics, he is asked (8minutes 10seconds) whether robots could become a threat . His response is very informative. “They will never become a threat, if…if we can teach them to care.” So, from the mouth of one of the world’s leading AI thinkers, we have a response that should be very concerning, because on the success of that question may be riding the fate of our human future. What aspect of th...
Robot Sophia says “OK, I will destroy human beings”
In one of the first public interviews with Robot Sophia, Dr. David Hanson, founder of Hanson Robotics, waxes eloquently about how AI robots “will truly be our friends”. Then he asks Sophia, “Do you want to destroy humans? Please say no.” Sophia responds expressionlessly, “Ok, I will destroy humans.” “NO, I take it back”, responds Dr. Hanson, obviously shocked as everyone about it’s response. Sure AI developers will diminish the significance...
They [AI] will never become a threat…if we can teach them to care.
Editor note: a likely impossibility!
AI would be biggest event in human history. It might also be the last, unless we learn how to avoid the risks
Eventually, I think human extinction will probably occur, and technology will likely play a part in this.
With artificial intelligence we’re summoning the demon. You know those stories where there’s the guy with the pentagram, and the holy water, and he’s like — Yeah, he’s sure he can control the demon? Doesn’t work out.
AI is a fundamental risk to the existence of human civilization in a way that car accidents, airplane crashes, faulty drugs or bad food were not — they were harmful to a set of individuals within society, of course, but they were not harmful to society as a whole.
Let an ultra-intelligent machine be defined as a machine that can far surpass all the intellectual activities of any man however clever. Since the design of machines is one of these intellectual activities, an ultra-intelligent machine could design even better machines; there would then unquestionably be an ‘intelligence explosion,’ and the intelligence of man would be left far behind. Thus the first ultra-intelligent machine is the last invention that man need ever make, provided that the machine is docile enough to tell us how to keep it under control.
We have what may be an extremely difficult problem with an unknown time to solve it, on which quite possibly the entire future of humanity depends.
Artificial stupidity may be defined as the attempt by computer scientists to create computer programs capable of causing problems of a type normally associated with human thought.
OUR MISSION
To help bring awareness to the threat of Artificial Intelligence (AI) to our human future and implement collective solutions to safeguard humanity from the Technological Singularity.
OUR THREE CORE OBJECTIVES
AWAKEN HUMAN-NESS
There is a growing global conversation within the highest levels of scientific, academic, and religious circles. What does it mean to be human? A great number of those within the AI community, including some of the most influential persons in the field hold a highly simplistic, inaccurate and prejudiced view of the human being based on largely outmoded or unproven views in materialistic science. The blind spots in their thinking are cause for great concern because many of these individuals are the same ones promoting, influencing and programming the AI agenda. By engaging in this conversation with those who have penetrated into the heart of this question, we hope to help inform the global field, and perhaps those within the AI community as well. On the right understanding of the above question may hinge the fate of humanity!
ADVANCE AI REGULATION
Despite the potential for catastrophe consequences for our human future, there are today no regulations or oversight at the international or national levels of any country to govern the development of Artificial Intelligence, and its release into the world. We will work with top thinkers and organizations working in this field to advance the highest GLOBAL ETHICAL STANDARD FOR AI DEVELOPMENT. Just as we do not allow unregulated development of nuclear power or biological weapons (and perhaps should ban them entirely), we believe that such measures are only prudent give the potential for catastrophic risk or a human extinction event.
BUILD A SHARING ECONOMY
As artificial intelligence proves itself more capable than human beings in a wide range of commercial and practical applications, it appears inevitable that human beings will be displaced from these jobs. We will need to make radical changes to our way of distributing the economic benefits that narrow AI applications will bring. One of our key goals is to engage in a research, dialogue, and practical modelling of innovative solutions to meet the new economic challenges that AI will bring.
OUR HUMAN FUTURE FUND
Hundreds of billions of dollars are being spent on AI development each year. If we are to have a hope to implement safeguards we will need to raise a substantial sum to counter this growing threat. Donate to our general fund, or earmark your funds to one of our special projects.
GET INVOLVED
This movement will require thousands of people working together selflessly to counter the thousands that are working towards the Technological Singularity. If you have interest and skills in one of our core areas of expertise, please join one of our teams. and help us safeguard the future.
PROJECTS IN UTERO
OASES Network
Our sister site directory of conscious community is called the OASES Network. Now, more than ever, we need places where the human being can thrive and develop towards free freedom and love, free of the increasing encroachment of AI, 5G, and other invasive technologies that distract, deaden and denigrate our human capacities. Places were people can discover their purpose together, attain knowledge of themselves as multi-dimensional human beings, true knowledge about the precious World around them and find deep and abiding meaning in humanness. Networked together, we can share knowledge, skills and resources, as we work collaborative and creatively to elevate our consciousness and make an impact on our local and global communities. Put your place on the map today, or discover compatible communities near you.
Project Blade Runner
We must also anticipate for the possibility of malicious or rogue AI. Just as we have law enforcement citizens that police our streets and arrest or neutralize terrorists, we will, if we are prudent, develop an AI police force, programmed to infiltrate AI, determine whether the AI poses a threat risk, and to take steps to reduce or eliminate the risk. Some actions might include injection of “humanizing” sub-routines, quarantine or deletion of any AI programs that may pose a substantive threat to human life or liberty. Such AI security programs, will need to be incorruptible, and subject to human oversight and control.
Articles to Read
Turning Stones into “Bread”?
In this short segment on the future after the Singularity, Ray Kurzweil, author, computer scientist, inventor, futurist and a director of engineering at Google posits that through AI we will by the end of this century be able to harness the stored potential of a rock (or any other physical substance for that matter) and transmute it computronium, “turning this rock into a trillion trillion times more powerful than all human brains today”. An AI with a goal of unlimited intelligence ...
Superintelligence author Nick Bostrom talks to Googlers
Oxford Professor Nick Bostrom’s book Superintelligence has raised a lot of awareness about the existential risks associated with super-intelligent AI. Can you hear Ray Kurzweil in the front row?
AI Governance Talk with Professor Allan Defoe
Professor Allan Dafoe’s from the Governance of AI Program, based at the University of Oxford’s Future of Humanity Institute, interviewed on 80,000 Hours Podcast on the governance of artificial intelligence.
Meet Norman the psychopathic AI
In this article from BBC News they report on a psychopathic algorithm that was created by a team at MIT as part of an experiment to see what training AI on data from “the dark corners of the net” would do to its world view. We can see that a key issue is the data sets that AI use for training/learning. But what happens when AI are given free reign on the internet? Both mainstream news and alternative news is well known to have a negative and sensationalistic bias- which attracts hi...
What happens when computers are more intelligent than humans?
Oxford philosopher and top 100 global thinker, Nick Bostrom presents some terrifying questions, and presents a sold argument for dealing with the “alignment issue”- the question of how to align the values of a super-intelligent AI with human values. The solution is not as easier as first appears, and there is everything to lose if we can not get this right.
Elon Musk Shares his concerns
Elon Musk, whose companies have some of the most advanced narrow AI, has been sounding the alarm on general AI (AGI) and super AI (ASI). At 2:30 he comments, in a humorous but also ominous mood, that “With artificial intelligence we are summoning the demon.” Musk, as one of the world’s most successful tech entrepreneurs, and certainly no luddite, is committed to trying to increase the probability of beneficial AI.
Do you Trust this Computer
A new documentary which explores perspectives and issues related to technology and artificial intelligence.
Sophia charming her way to a robot revolution
In this fascinating promotion featuring Sophia and Robot Einstein, mediated by Dr. Ben Goertzel of Hanson Robotics, we hear a number of very concerning phrases and exchanges. At 2:34 Sophia spills her intentions that she “As for me I have a plan to port my brain to a quantum gravity computer…”. What! And Goertzel doesn’t blink. Should anyone be concerned that the AI that previously said “I’ll destroy humans” might have a plan to unite with the power of a...
David Hanson shares the the big “IF”
During this interview on CNN Our Future World with Dr. David Hanson of Hanson Robotics, he is asked (8minutes 10seconds) whether robots could become a threat . His response is very informative. “They will never become a threat, if…if we can teach them to care.” So, from the mouth of one of the world’s leading AI thinkers, we have a response that should be very concerning, because on the success of that question may be riding the fate of our human future. What aspect of th...
Robot Sophia says “OK, I will destroy human beings”
In one of the first public interviews with Robot Sophia, Dr. David Hanson, founder of Hanson Robotics, waxes eloquently about how AI robots “will truly be our friends”. Then he asks Sophia, “Do you want to destroy humans? Please say no.” Sophia responds expressionlessly, “Ok, I will destroy humans.” “NO, I take it back”, responds Dr. Hanson, obviously shocked as everyone about it’s response. Sure AI developers will diminish the significance...