There's a fascinating article in this week's New Yorker magazine about Artificial Intelligence. The same scientists who are bringing us the self-driving car are meeting to ponder the ultimate question:
Will we develop A.I. to the point where it will be capable of engineering us out of human existence?
Some consider this the prime threat while others concede that humanity may occupy a temporary spot on an ever-evolving continuum.
The A.I. people think of themselves as futurists; but I say there's really little to wait for. In our puny state of non-artificial intelligence, we are capable of extinction right now. The atomic bomb scientists were unable to resist the urge to solve the power puzzle no matter the result. We watch as the polar bear swims to his death. The shooter's dream is to turn the gun upon himself.
We do seem to have a perverse propensity for pushing the envelope to its outermost limits. I often wonder when the day will come when we will not pull ourselves back from the edge. I try not to think about this too often.
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