Nearly every industry, from healthcare to finance has been transformed by the rise of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and as momentum picks up speed for further development at an unprecedented pace. Singularity, the idea that often floats into discussion among technologists as AI keeps on learning at an exponential rate. The AI singularity is a hypothetical event in which exponential growth of artificial super-intelligence surpasses natural human intelligence.
What is Artificial Intelligence AI?
AI is the ability of a digital computer or computer-controlled robot to perform tasks commonly undertaken by intelligent beings, and AI provides systems which can recognize image (vision), speech, make decision or translate languages. The emergence of AI during the last decades moved away from rule-based approaches to machine learning and deep learning, enabling systems that can learn — changing how things work over time.
With its roots in ML, Deep learning is a kind of advanced subset and includes neural networks with many layers which allow processing enormous amounts of data leading to complicated tasks such as image recognition, natural language processing playing the game etc.
Artificial General Intelligence (AGI): AI system with human-like cognitive capabilities in multiple areas including only specialized tasks. Current AI is narrow and task-specific, whereas AGI would be able to perform any intellectual task a human can.
Superintelligence: Super intelligent means way smarter than human mind in every area. This is a very possible scenario as one would expect to have self-improving AI systems, and the singularity has arrived.
The singularity will be extremely disruptive to society. However, the actual effects are impossible to predict though several possible consequences have been suggested:
Scientific Techniques
A super intelligent AI could advance scientific discoveries and technological progress at a breakneck rate. Everything from curing complex diseases to developing new energy sources are within the scope of AI, and given that machines can work much faster than humans (and never sleep), this could launch us far into the future — perhaps even years or decades ahead.
The single biggest issue with the singularity is how to control a super intelligent AI for good. Shortly thereafter, AI could outstrip human intelligence and our ability (if we are still around) to constrain or even foresee its every movement. This raises concerns for the safety, governance and oversight of AI systems to ensure they continue delivering aligned human values.
One of the ideas often talked about with respect to the singularity, is that super intelligent AI could enable what in some versions means thousands of diseases can be cured, human lifespan extended indefinitely, or even our consciousness merged together with it [a fraction from transhumanism]. On the other hand, some fear that with goals of AI at odds with those of humanity — introducing unintended consequences and thus putting human survival in jeopardy.
AI experts remain divided over how soon we will reach the singularity. For some, few decades; for others still a distant possibility within centuries. While the likes of AGI and self-improving AI are far off, progress is being made rapidly.
Preparing for the Future
A technological singularity would thus have fundamental implications for society. The ethical, social and economic dilemmas AI may present compel governments, companies as well as private individuals to think long and hard. A top priority among leading AI researchers is researching how to create safe artificial general intelligence so that we can capitalize on general intelligent systems without unintended adverse consequences.
AI and the singularity have always occupied a frontier of our understanding of technology as it relates to civilization. The sort of progress the point may introduce is virtually unfathomable yet. It’s hard to ignore that it also represents clear and present danger. With AI only getting smarter though, the more that we know and get ready for the singularity may help to ensure in a future where technology works with us as opposed against our humanity.
