People often ask me for my definition of the technological Singularity. More specifically, they want me to offer some predictions as to what it will actually look like and what it might mean to them and the human species.
More often than not they don’t like my answer, and it’s probably because I re-frame the discussion and take the conversation elsewhere.
What people are really asking me to do is predict the outcome of the Singularity. And because I don’t, they get frustrated with me.
But that’s the problem. That’s the whole point of this ‘thing’ we call the Singularity.
As has been noted elsewhere, virtually everyone has their own definition of the Singularity and it’s become a very polluted term, one that’s been stripped of all meaning.
So, before I tell you my own ‘definition’ of the Singularity, let me first tell you what it’s not.
It’s not any particular outcome or prognostication.
It’s not any kind of definable event or transformational process.
Nor is it a term that can be used to describe a futuristic state of existence or the nature of advanced artificial intelligence.
But it’s often used to describe these very things—as if the term can be used as a synonym for what are essentially predictions. When people talk about the Singularity they can’t help but inject their own anticipated outcome—be it positive or negative.
I can be guilty of this at times. But so I don’t get myself into too much futurological trouble I tend to refer to things as being in a state of post-Singularity. That’s my clever way of avoiding any in-depth discussion as to how we’ll actually get there.
Alright, so what’s the technological Singularity?
Simply put, it’s an unanswered question.
Vernor Vinge used the term Singularity for a very good reason. It’s an event horizon in the truest sense.
But instead of a cosmological event horizon caused by a black hole’s gravitational pull, it’s a social event horizon caused by our inability to extrapolate the trajectory of human civilization beyond a certain point of technological sophistication.
The Singularity, therefore, describes a futurological problem—a blind-spot in our predictive thinking.
That’s it. There’s no more to it than that.
Anything beyond this strict and limited definition is a discussion of something else—an attempt to solve the conundrum and make predictions about 1) the actual characteristics and manifestation of the Singularity and 2) its aftermath.
So, if I say that the Singularity will involve a hard takeoff of SAI, I’m actually presenting a hypothesis that attempts to retire the term ‘Singularity’ and see it replaced by the term, uh, SAI hard takeoff event (we’ll clearly have to come up with something better).
Or, if I say it will be a decades long process that sees humanity transition into a postbiological condition, I am likewise trying to put the term to rest.
Why does our predictive modeling break down?
Two reasons: 1) accelerating change and 2) the theoretic potential for the rise of recursively self-modifying artificial superintelligence.
Essentially, because disruptive change will be coming so fast and furiously, humanity’s future remains largely unpredicted; there are too many variables and wildcards. And the rise of SAI, given its potential to be thousands upon thousands of times more powerful than the human mind, is simply beyond our prognosticative sensibilities.
Sure, we can make wild-ass guesses. And maybe one or two of them may actually turn out to be correct. But we won’t know for sure until we get there.
Or at least until we get really close.
Consequently, the Singularity is a relativistic term.
People of the future won’t use the word. That’s a term reserved for us in our ignorance.
But as we get closer to the Singularity we will in all likelihood gain an increased appreciation of what will happen at the point when machine intelligence exceeds the capacity of humans.
And keeps on going.
At that point, once the fog that is the Singularity begins to lift, we will cease to call it the Singularity and replace it with a more descriptive term.
So, as we journey forward, what was once concealed over the horizon will finally be revealed.
In the meantime, just remember to frame the Singularity as a social event horizon, particularly as it pertains to accelerating change and the seemingly imminent rise of SAI.
George Dvorsky serves on the Board of Directors for the Institute for Ethics and Emerging Technologies. George is the Director of Operations for Commune Media, an advertising and marketing firm that specializes in marketing science. George produces
Sentient Developments blog and
podcast.
IEET Blog