Toward Singularity: The future of AI and humanity

We are living in an era where artificial intelligence is transforming every aspect of life at an astonishing pace. The long-standing trend of decreasing computational costs has made high-capacity chips more accessible. Before the pandemic, the digital economic transformation was relatively slow, but the pandemic marked a turning point for technological change. As hybrid work became normalized, even the concept of a workplace evolved, and the digital economy gained momentum, unbound by physical spaces. This shift enabled millions of people to become both producers and consumers in the digital sphere, free from the constraints of time and place.

The affordability of processing power and the incentives promised by the digital economy have been key drivers in the development of the algorithms that underpin AI. Today, artificial intelligence has surpassed human intelligence in many areas, and reaching the level of "general intelligence" is seen as imminent. While some argue that this milestone will redefine humanity itself, others believe predictions of a world where technology sidelines humans and robots dominate are exaggerated.

Ray Kurzweil, known for his 1999 prediction that AI would reach human intelligence by 2029, argues in his book *The Singularity is Nearer* that we are on the brink of an era where the biological human mind merges with the power and speed of digital technology. Kurzweil predicts that the famous Turing test, which evaluates whether AI is indistinguishable from human intelligence, will be passed by this time. When AI reaches general intelligence, the distinction between carbon-based (human) and silicon-based (robot) intelligence will disappear.

Contrary to doomsday scenarios that foresee AI evolving independently and potentially threatening humanity, Kurzweil envisions a future where the human mind, connected to the cloud, transcends its current limits and unlocks creative potential beyond our imagination. He believes that when singularity is achieved, human intelligence will increase in capacity by millions of times. Kurzweil also posits that consciousness—essentially a process arising from the complexity of information processing in the brain—can similarly emerge in silicon-based intelligence.

Kurzweil predicts that technologies like 3D printing and nanotechnology will enable the precise production of goods and materials, making such manufacturing accessible to everyone. He foresees nanotechnology curing diseases, maintaining the human body, and extending life spans. With these advances, humans will no longer be tied to their biological bodies for survival, marking a critical step in human evolution. By the 2040s and 2050s, Kurzweil envisions the repair, maintenance, and even rebuilding of human bodies, making biological dependency obsolete for sustaining consciousness and memory.

While AI promises to free human intelligence from its biological constraints, it also raises significant concerns about employment. Automation threatens to eliminate the need for repetitive human labor in many industries. Futurists like Kurzweil view this as a natural progression in human development, suggesting that people will adapt and find work in new sectors as they have in the past. However, rapid technological change may create high-skill jobs while failing to replace lost jobs in low-skill areas, leading to discussions about universal basic income as a potential solution. Even this, however, comes with its own challenges and social implications.

Kurzweil acknowledges that AI, like nuclear, biotech, and nanotechnologies, has dual-use potential and could be misused. He emphasizes the need for regulations to ensure AI is used for good. Properly managed, AI could help prevent disease, hunger, and environmental degradation while radically extending human life and pushing intelligence far beyond biological limitations.

These projections, which challenge even the concept of humanity, herald radical changes in areas ranging from the digital economy and warfare to curing fatal diseases and transforming the labor market. The race among tech giants for control of "big data," often called the oil of this century, raises concerns as these companies gain power rivaling nation-states. A technology capable of such deep and permanent impacts on human bodies and minds cannot be left to the discretion of private corporations alone. Societies and governments appear unprepared for the singularity moment when AI surpasses human intelligence. Instead of waiting for futurists like Kurzweil to be proven right, it is imperative to develop a comprehensive AI strategy now.