Category Archives: Singularity

By Alan Brads

The artificial intelligence (AI) singularity:

A hypothetical point of no return, where machines surpass human intelligence, and learn to teach themselves without human intervention. Also linked with an intelligence explosion, where machines quickly improve their own abilities, leading to runaway technological progress.

The utopian view of the AI singularity suggests the exponential growth of AI would lead to unprecedented levels of technological progress, including cures for diseases, solutions to environmental problems, and the elimination of scarcity. Theoretically, the singularity could even lead to the achievement of a post-scarcity society, where resources are plentiful, and all basic needs are met.

But

The dystopian view of the AI singularity says it could lead to a society where machines dominate or even replace humans. It suggests that as AI surpasses human intelligence, it could become uncontrollable or hostile to human interests, leading to catastrophic outcomes.

Pause I must confess.I didnt write any of that, nobody did. ChatGPT wrote everything you just read. And more than likely, you didnt notice.

ChatGPT launched on November 30, 2022. Five days later it had over 4 million users. The newest innovation in AI appealed to the masses: a robot that could seemingly understand you. It gave rise to the question: What is the limit?

The possibility of a singularity is debated in all circles, including religious ones, but it falls squarely in the realm of speculation.

Dr. Seth Hamman of Cedarville University teaches computer science, heads up the center for cyber security and has published multiple scholarly articles regarding AI.

We learn in the opening chapters of Genesis that humans have unique attributes, Hamman said. We have self-consciousness, we know who we are, we can think, we have a desire for relations, we have ethics and religion.

Hamman argues that since we see no sign of these traits in animals, we can presume they belong uniquely to bearers of Gods image, humans.

You can extrapolate from that that if computers arent created in the image of God, which is pretty definitive, they cannot be self-conscious, relational, or have volition, Hamman said. And if they cannot think for themselves, the singularity will never happen.

Thinking outside of human designed programming would be necessary for the basis of the singularity, the ability to teach themselves things that humans did not program them to learn.

Hamman noted that while he finds this argument convincing, predicting the future is a dangerous game, and he addressed what a post-singularity utopia could be like.

The utopian view is heaven on Earth, Hamman said. You could live forever. You could do away with your body and just transport you into this computer world, and then you could live in a heaven of your own creation.

At first this strange idea, reminiscent of the Wachowski sisters The Matrix, sounds agreeable, but peeling back the layers reveals its problematic potential.

You have to think about what an automated world does to human dignity, Hamman said. We learn from scripture that idleness is not good. We have the story of King David where his kingdom goes off to war and he stays home. Next thing you know hes having an affair. Remember, Adam and Eve worked before the fall.

Idleness hits at the heart of the threat that AI and automation, with or without a singularity, presents to Christian living.

Jeff Simon, professor of digital media at Cedarville with a masters degree in animation and visual effects, deals increasingly with a new form of AI, machines that can simulate human art.

Controversy rages, regarding whether or not something created by 1s and 0s in a computing program can be considered art, but whats undeniable is that it is one more field in which humans may soon no longer be the most efficient workforce.

I actually lean toward saying a utopian reality would be worse than a dystopian reality, Simon said. In a dystopia, humans need someone else, we need God. The original sin was pride saying that humanity did not need God, and utopia would be going back to saying we can do it all ourselves.

Even in the absence of a singularity, temptation runs rife in the world of AI.

AI like ChatGPT opens the door to all kinds of laziness and cheating, Simon said. Its a useful tool that can help us generate artistic ideas and templates, it can save time on menial tasks, but to use AI to do all of our work for us is problematic.

Simon said that ethical use of AI can be boiled down to one word: integrity.

Its like most things in life, Simon said. Its a tool, its not good or bad, it just depends on how you use it.

Exact visions of a post-singularity utopia vary, but most Christians scholars agree that a life without work is not a life for which God created humans.

But there is still room within the Christian ethic for advancing automation in certain areas. Developers look for jobs that fall under the three Ds: Dirt, Danger and Drudgery.

If a robot can be trained to sniff out bombs like a dog, few would argue that its better for an animal to risk detonation than a robot. Likewise, if we can train a robot to clean sewer systems, that seems like a superior alternative. Finally, some jobs are universally boring, like careful inspection of equipment with a 99.99% pass rate. Robots have an enormous advantage in that field, in that they dont need to take breaks, eat or sleep, and they never get bored.

Predicting the future in one of the worlds fastest developing fields is about as easy as picking tomorrows lottery numbers, but there are a select few things that Christians can confidently say AI will not do.

A robot will never encapsulate a soul, Simon said. No. Thats not happening.

Hamman pointed out three sparks that no scientist has produced, all present in the creation narrative in Genesis chapters 1-2, and he presumes the same will be true of AI.

The spark of creation No scientist has ever created out of nothing. They cant just make something appear.

The spark of life Even taking the natural materials that we have that make up life and putting them together, no scientist has ever actually animated something.

The spark of self-consciousness Whether its a computer program or anything, no scientist has ever made something that is self-conscious.

So you can argue that those three things require something supernatural, Hamman said.

Despite its current limitations, ChatGPTs release reminded everyone that scientists are still redefining the boundaries, and we havent reached a final limit quite yet.

Alan Brads is a sophomore journalism student and frequent contributor for Cedars. He enjoys playing the drums and speaking Spanish, and watches Buckeye football like his life depends on it.

Photo by Julia Mumford

Cover photo courtesy of Flikr

See more here:

Christians confront the possibilities and impossibilities of AI - Cedars

Host Steven Parton reflects on the 100th episode milestone and what the audience can expect in the next 100 episodes

SANTA CLARA, Calif., April 19, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Singularity's podcast The Feedback Loop is celebrating its 100th episode by featuring an exclusive interview with Peter Diamandis, executive founder of Singularity. The Feedback Loop, hosted by Steven Parton, has quickly become one of the most popular tech podcasts in the world.

The 100th episode will include a discussion with Diamandis on the impacts of AI and GPT, including his predictions about their future advancements. The episode will be available for download on Monday, May 8 at 10 am Pacific Time on the leading podcast platforms.

The 100th episode will include a discussion with Diamandis on the impacts of AI and GPT, including his predictions about their future advancements.

Parton finds special meaning in the 100th episode milestone. "It is a testament to Singularity's commitment to making complex scientific and technological topics accessible for anyone and everyone. It also speaks to the support for Singularity's mission, with nearly 100 of the world's most successful and renowned exponential thinkers willing to spend their precious time engaging in conversations for our audience."

Parton predicts the next 100 episodes will focus on expanding the podcast's offerings by incorporating video content, and perhaps featuring multiple guests who may discuss and debate the latest advancements in technology and their implications on humanity.

About Singularity Group

Singularity Group is an innovation company that believes technology and entrepreneurship can solve the world's greatest challenges.

We transform the way people and organizations think about exponential technology and the future, and enable them to create and accelerate initiatives that will deliver business value and positively impact people and the planet.

An exponential tech pioneer since 2008, Singularity has grown to become an innovation and transformation hub for over 250,000 CEOs, entrepreneurs, investors, policymakers and individuals in startups, corporations, NGO's, governments and academia. With 58 chapters across 30 countries (and growing) and a community of leaders from around the world, the company has helped launch over 5,000 impact innovation initiatives and its alumni have started more than 200 companies.

For more information, visit https://su.org

SOURCE Singularity Group

Excerpt from:

100th episode of popular Singularity tech podcast will feature Peter Diamandis's AI predictions - PR Newswire

From ethical standards to direct threats, it is simply unknown whether artificial intelligence systems that make decisions on people's behalf may pose a danger and whether they can be controlled in the future, after entering our lives fairly recently and fairly innocently, mostly through video games governed by human-generated algorithms.

People are only using limited and weak artificial intelligence with chatbots in everyday life and in driverless vehicles and digital assistants that work with voice commands.

It is debatable whether algorithms have progressed to the level of superintelligence and whether they will go beyond emulating humans in the future.

The rise of AI over human intelligence over time paints a positive picture for humanity according to some experts, while it is seen as the beginning of a disaster according to others.

Wilhelm Bielert, chief digital officer and vice president at Canada-based industrial equipment manufacturer Premier Tech, told Anadolu Agency (AA) that the most unknown issue about artificial intelligence is superartificial intelligence, which is still largely speculative among experts studying AI and which exceeds human intelligence.

He said that while humans build and program algorithms today, the notion of artificial intelligence commanding itself in the future and acting like a living entity is still under consideration. Given the possible risks and rewards, Bielert highlighted the importance of society approaching AI development in a responsible and ethical manner.

Professor Ahmet Ulvi Trkba, a lecturer at Istanbul Medipol Universitys Faculty of Law, argues that one day when computer technology reaches the level of superintelligence, it may want to redesign the world from top to bottom.

"The reason why it is called a 'singularity' is that there is no example of such a thing until today. It has never happened before. You do not have a section to make an analogy to be taken as an example in any way in history because there is no such thing. It's called a singularity, and everyone is afraid of this singularity," he said.

Vincent C. Muller, professor of Artificial Intelligence Ethics and Philosophy at the University of Erlangen-Nuremberg, told Anadolu it is uncertain whether artificial intelligence will be kept under control, given that it has the capacity to make its own decisions.

"The control depends on what you want from it. Imagine that you have a factory with workers. You can ask yourself: 'Are these people under my control?' Now you stand behind a worker and tell the worker, 'Look, now you take the screw, you put it in there and you take the next screw,' and so this person is under your control," he said.

According to Bielert, artificial intelligence will have a complicated and multidimensional impact on society and future generations.

He noted that it is vital that society address potential repercussions proactively and guarantee that AI is created and utilized responsibly and ethically.

"Nowadays, if you look at how teenagers and younger children live, they live on screens," he said.

He said that artificial intelligence, which has evolved with technology, has profoundly affected the lives of young people and children.

See the article here:

Lack of control: Future of AI uncertain as it becomes human-like | Daily Sabah - Daily Sabah

Back when the stones were soft, my brother Jeff might say in his best Old Lodge Skins voice from Little Big Man, things were much simpler.

Among Native tribes in the Southwest, when The People needed something to carry something else, they made it out of the materials at-hand. First, there were tanned hides. If you needed a basket, there were willows near the stream you could cut, strip and weave. If you needed a pot to put over a fire to cook a venison stew, you sought out an arroyo where micaceous clay was exposed by flash floods, added water and shaped it into a vessel that was fired over a cedar wood flame.

As time progressed and the land was suddenly filled with other people who came here from far away lands, they brought with them the means to expand their skills to make other things. The introduction of churro sheep from the Spanish, for instance, led to a blanket weaving tradition among the Din people, along with the tradition of kilts, sashes and mantas among the Pueblos.

Artistry, however, evolved differently than it did for the foreign colonists. In many respects, the people who made useful objects baskets, pottery, clothing and other accoutrements were generally not accorded any particular status within the tribal group. They were simply people who developed the skills to make things successfully and functionally. And, the designs they might include with their work were often rooted in symbols that came from their ancient ceremonial life ways.

Yet, according to EncyclopaediaBritannica, within this rigid framework of tradition, there was sometimes a surprising degree of freedom of expression. There are recorded instances of individuals having made considerable changes in the art (and the economy) of their tribes. In North America, perhaps the most striking have been the careers of Nampey, the famed Hopi potter, and Mara Martnez and Julin Martnez, of San Ildefonso Pueblo.

The painters who discovered Taos at the turn of the 20th century soon encouraged others to come here. Those who made portraits hired local residents some Hispanic people, others from Taos Pueblo who posed for paintings that helped preserve a way of life they believed was fast disappearing.

"The artists of the Taos Society of Artists were inspired by the art and culture of Taos Pueblo," Davison Koenig, Couse-Sharp Historic Site executive director and curator, said in a 2018 Taos News story about an exhibit titled Full Circle: Taos Pueblo Contemporary. The charter of the TSA states that one of the reasons for its formation was "to promote and stimulate the practical expressions of art to preserve and promote the native art."

Koenig said many of the TSA artists developed lifelong friendships and even familial bonds with their Native models, who included Looking Elk, Hunting Son, Star Road, Elk Duststorm, Rain Coming Down and Elkfoot, to name a few. "TSA artists became strong advocates for Native rights and sovereignty," he adds. "The exhibition 'Full Circle' honors those relationships and the many artists from Taos Pueblo who continue to redefine Native art and identity."

These early relationships included sharing what the artists knew about making paintings, thus providing a brand new form of expression from a Native point of view. Until then, creative adornment of objects was rare. Native people had never made an artistic piece that existed only as something to look at and admire.

In the opening chapter of Pueblo Indian Painting: Tradition and Modernism in New Mexico, 1900-1930, author J.J. Brody writes of the connections artists in Santa Fe were making with young Pueblo Indians at about the same time.

In the year 1900, Esther Hoyt, a U.S. Indian Service teacher at San Ildefonso Pueblo Day School distributed watercolor paints and paper to her pupils and encouraged them to make pictures of Pueblo ceremonial dances. About fifteen years later some of these same young artists were selling paintings at or near the pueblo to Santa Fes art, anthropology and museum communities, and by 1917, artists from San Ildefonso and other pueblos were selling their work in Santa Fe itself.

On the one hand, anthropologists urged caution to colleagues with regard to interfering with the natural evolution of art as it was rapidly being embraced by Native people. Plus, many of the artists themselves were urged to exercise caution with regard to very strict concerns among some tribal kiva leaders. This went hand-in-hand with the ways photography was being used, mostly by outsiders, to record tribal ceremonies. Seemingly innocent at first, photography would become considered an unwelcome intrusion to where today it is banned at Pueblos such as Taos during public ceremonial dances.

On the other hand, these new artists flourished due to encouragement from outsiders eager to help, along with a budding tourism market. As the railroad brought more and more tourists and new residents to the Southwest, the growth of Native-made art has become one of the creative foundations in this region.

See original here:

Native American art: Form and function to singularity - The Taos News