Creating the future

Thomas Abraham

The most interesting stories are about the future…and the future that is being created now.

http://www.bbc.com/future/story/20120518-reaching-for-the-stars

http://www.darpa.mil/

Michio Kaku’s vision

“By 2100 our destiny is to become like the gods we once worshipped and feared.”

The tools: computers, nanotechnologies, artificial intelligence, biotechnology; quantum theory

MichioKaku’s predictions

We will be able to manipulate objects with the power of our minds

With bio-tech, we will create perfect bodies and extend our life spans; We will create life forms

With nano-technology we will create something out of nothing

We will ride in vehicles that will soar with no fuel—harness the power of the stars

Some of this is already happening

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-18087949

1950s-Vacuum tubes: room sized computers

1960s: Transistors: Mainframe computers for businesses

1970s: Integrated circuit boards- desk sized

1980s:silicon chips and pcs 1990s-Internet connects computers 2000s- chips freed from computers By 2020- the word computer would have

vanished?

Vision of the future based on ever cheaper computing power

Moore’s Law: Number of transistors in a chip will double every two years.

Expected to end by around 2020, when technological and physical barriers will be reached

The future of artificial intelligence

http://www.ted.com/talks/lang/en/ray_kurzweil_announces_singularity_university.html

http://singinst.org/ http://

www.bbc.com/news/technology-14574747

http://www.ibm.com/smarterplanet/us/en/business_analytics/article/cognitive_computing.html

Some technological possibilities

Computers “smarter” than humans with AI; who controls who?

Hardware, software and wetware Human brains networked into computers? computers implanted into human brains?

Does any of this make life better, or people happier?

Perhaps we have survived because we are cavemen and women

Following the AI story

http://ailab.ifi.uzh.ch/ http://singinst.org/ http://www.ibm.com/smarterplanet/us/e

n/business_analytics/article/cognitive_computing.html

Read Nature, Science and science news for tip offs

http://jmsc6089.edublogs.org/