Posted 29 May 2009 - 02:38 PM
I think Kurzweil and others are greatly underestimating computers when comparing them to brains. For example, my computer can translate a document 100,000 times faster than me. To do that, each word has to be categorized by each of us. Granted, I have a much larger concept of the meaning of what I am reading, but 50% of my brain's effort is not doing anymore than what the computer is doing (imagine how large the region is that is just determining the shape of the letters). So for that 50% of my brain, my computer is 100,000 times faster. The same goes for any raw math or other logic skills. To do my higher brain functions, the computer will need to simulate only the neocorticol columns in my front brain, maybe 20% of my brain which would be only 400,000 cortical columns (a group of neurons). I don't see why efficient programming on a basic PC can't simulate a cortical column, so that only 400,000 computers need to be hooked up over the internet to model a brain. What I am describingwill be as slow as a brain due to slow internet packet speeds. But it has 24 hour capability (3 times a workday) and direct access to all of wikipedia and google, not having to wait on fingers to do the typing nor on eyes to do the reading. With perfect memory wherever needed. No human has more than maybe 30% raw thinking ability than any other human. But imagine ten times as many of these cortical column computers connected (4,000,000). That would be 1,000% more raw thinking power than a person, but with the added abilities of perfect memory, typing and reading 100,000 times faster with immediate access to the same inifinite memory and knowledge dataset that we use (google and wikipedia), hacking web sites, and bank websites, running as a screen saver on everyone's computer, with the ability to infect every other computer. So I think the singularity could be here and now if the programming were advanced and in place. There's no way to know if it's not already here. Viruses, Aliens, AI, and other indifferent entities you can't see are the most dangerous ones. As with any virus, AI does not need our approval for anything. But our complacency will speed it along.