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Google's AI visionary wants to raise the dead · Elon Musk Podcast

• 0:01
  Hey. Everybody, welcome back.
• 0:03
  To the. Elon Musk podcast this.
• 0:05
  Is a show where we discuss the critical crossroads that shape
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  SpaceX, Tesla X The Boring Company.
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  And Neurolink. I'm your host, Will.
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  Walden Ray Kurzweil, who's a futurist and a computer
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  scientist, has a new book out. It's called The Singularity is
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  Nearer now. He also had some previous
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  predictions that artificial intelligence will reach human
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  intelligence by 2029, and by 2045, humans will merge all
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  together with AI. Kurzweil, who is currently a
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  principal researcher and AI visionary at Google, is known
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  for his bold forecasts, including the melding of human
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  consciousness with AI, which he refers to as The Singularity.
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  Now, a book that he wrote before in 2005 was called The
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  Singularity is Near. He saw that the advancement of
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  AI was to the point where it matches human intelligence.
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  But in his latest work, he reaffirms this belief that the
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  milestones are also on track. And according to Kurzweil, AI
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  will achieve human level intelligence in a few years,
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  just in 2029, and he's consistently upheld that
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  prediction. Now the singularity as described
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  by him is a future period during which human and AI consciousness
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  will merge, fundamentally transforming human capabilities.
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  He envisions this transformation facilitated by brain computer
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  interfaces and also nanobots. Now these nanobots, tiny robots
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  the size of molecules, will non invasively enter human brains,
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  augmenting intelligence exponentially.
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  His predictions, often deem very speculative, draw both interest
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  and skepticism. His assertion that intelligence
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  will expand a million fold by 2045 challenges our current
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  understanding of cognitive science.
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  He says we don't even understand how our own brains work, and
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  critics have questioned the feasibility of replicating and
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  enhancing human brain functions through AI and nanotechnology.
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  But despite this skepticism, Kurzweil remains optimistic to
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  move forward. He draws parallels with the
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  evolution of cell phones, suggesting that initial
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  resistance to new technologies eventually gives way to
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  widespread acceptance. And he stated, people do say I
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  don't want that, but they thought they didn't want phones
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  either. Now, the accessibility and
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  utility of phones is unmatched now and the utility has evolved
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  over time. Now.
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  Kurzweil also touches on the socio economic implications of
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  AI advancements. He believes that while new
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  technologies may initially benefit the wealthy, over time
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  they become affordable and accessible to the broader
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  population. He cites the proliferation of
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  mobile phones as an example of the trend, where the technology
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  that was once expensive and limited is now ubiquitous and
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  essential. Everybody has a cell phone now.
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  The concept of achieving longevity escape velocity is
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  another provocative idea from Kurzweil.
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  He suggests that advancements in technology will allow humans to
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  outpace aging, effectively extending life indefinitely.
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  You could live forever now. This concept involves creating
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  AI avatars or replicants and even resorting to cryogenic
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  freezing as a backup plan. Now, his approach to a is
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  potential risks is notably nonchalant.
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  He acknowledges the necessity of monitoring AI developments but
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  also dismisses outright opposition.
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  He says the advantages are so profound, and he indicates that
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  the benefits of AI advancements far outweigh the potential
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  dangers. This view aligns with his
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  involvement in developing the As a Lamar AI Principles, which are
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  guidelines for responsible AI development now.
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  The exponential growth in computer power underpins
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  Kurzweil's confidence in his predictions.
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  He argues that the doubling of price performance every 15
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  months will drive AI advancements.
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  This growth, coupled with improved algorithms and data,
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  will address current limitations in AI, such as contextual
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  memory, common sense reasoning, and social interactions.
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  He envisions a future where AI seamlessly integrates with human
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  brains, enhancing cognitive ability without users being
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  aware of the actual process. He describes a scenario where
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  accessing information from a cloud computer would be as
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  instantaneous as a thought, eliminating the need for
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  traditional input and output devices like phones or
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  computers, keyboards or tablets. Now addressing the issue of AI
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  safety, though, he maintains that major companies prioritize
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  aligning AI with human values over creating new advancements.
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  This assurance, however, is met with skepticism by those who
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  distrust tech companies commitment to safety over profit
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  and innovation. The fast-paced nature of tech
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  often prioritizes progress over cautious implementation.
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  Now, Kurzweil's personal routine reflects his dedication to LON
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  activity. He takes about 80 pills every
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  day, and he plans for cryogenic preservation and creating a
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  digital avatar of himself. He's already.
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  Experimented with this concept, having compiled his father's
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  writings to create a digital likeness, though he admits it is
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  only a little bit like talking to him and represents a step
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  towards his vision of digital immortality.
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  Now, the ethical and societal implications of Kurzweil's
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  predictions are vast. The potential to digitally
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  resurrect the deceased to create AI avatars and extend human life
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  raises profound questions about identity, what is your
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  consciousness and the definition of actual life on Earth.
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  These advancements could challenge the existing legal and
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  moral frameworks as well, requiring new approaches to
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  address these unprecedented issues.
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  Now, his view that AI will create more jobs than it
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  displaces is also a contentious point, while he acknowledges the
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  displacement of certain jobs. He argues.
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  That new technologies historically create new
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  categories. He envisions a future with Ubi
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  or Universal basic income to cushion the impacts of job
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  disruptions, predicting its implementation by the twenty
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  30s. His his optimism also extends to
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  addressing biases in AI. He recognizes that AI systems
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  learn from biased human data, but believes progress is being
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  made in mitigating these biases. The challenge, According to him,
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  is ensuring fair data use in developing legal frameworks to
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  support equitable AI development.
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  And on the topic of quantum computing, he's skeptical.
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  He believes that current advancements in traditional
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  computing, including the development of 3D chips, will
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  suffice for the foreseeable future.
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  Quantum computing, while promising, has yet to
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  demonstrate its practical value, according to Kurzweil.
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  Now, that just may be a matter of time, though.
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  Now, he also reiterates his belief that AI in human
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  intelligence will not be in opposition but will integrate
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  seamlessly, saying it is not going to be US versus AIAI is
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  going to be inside of ourselves, encapsulating his vision of a
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  future where human and artificial intelligence
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  coalesce. Hey, thank you so much for
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  listening today. I really do appreciate your
• 7:44
  support. If you could take a second and
• 7:45
  hit the subscribe or the follow button on whatever podcast
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  platform that you're. Listening on.
• 7:50
  Right. Now I greatly appreciate.
• 7:52
  It it helps out the show tremendously and you'll never
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  miss an episode and each episode is about 10 minutes.
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  Or less to get you caught up quickly and.
• 8:01
  Please if you want to support the show even more.
• 8:03
  Go to. Patreon.com/stagezero and please
• 8:08
  take care of yourselves and each other and I'll see you tomorrow.