Brave new college: University prepares scientists for era when computers are cleverer than humans

Brave new college: University prepares scientists for era when computers are cleverer than humans

By Caroline Graham
Last updated at 1:14 PM on 03rd February 2009


Singular vision: Inventor Ray Kurzweil believes machines will be able to improve themselves

Preparing for the day when machines will take over the human race sounds like the stuff of sci-fi novels, conspiracy theorists or Hollywood blockbusters.

But Google and Nasa are already getting ready for such a day.

The technological heavyweights have lent their support to a new university that will prepare scientists for an age when computers will be cleverer than humans.

Singularity University will be based in Nasa's Silicon Valley campus and will host its first class of 30 graduates this summer.

The name of the unconventional school comes from futurist Ray Kurzweil's theory of Singularity - a period of rapid technological advancement in the near future.

Mr Kurzweil, who will be Singularity University's chancellor, said: 'The law of accelerating returns means technology eventually will be a million more times powerful than it is today and cause profound transformation.'

His theory states that during 'singularity', machines will use artificial intelligence to improve themselves eventually becoming more clever than humans.

But his ideas have attracted some controversy with critics fearing that malicious artificial intelligence may try to wipe out humans altogether.

It sounds like something derived from Issac Asimov's 1950s science fiction stories I, Robot.

His series of stories were about robots who were designed to work in harmony with humans but who violated strict laws programmed into them and were eventually suspected of murdering humans.

In 2004 the stories were turned into a Hollywood movie starring Will Smith.

But preparing for advance technology is not something to be taken lightly, argues technology forecaster Paul Saffo.

It is essential that we explore what lies ahead of us so that we are not caught off guard, said Mr Saffo who will be part of Singular University's faculty.


When machines go bad: Will Smith and his sidekick hunt down a murderous robot in I, Robot (2004)

'One of our greatest challenges is to get people to anticipate the consequences of our inventions and how they can upset the apple cart,' he said.

Singularity University therefore aims to prepare tomorrow's scientists to deal with such advances and equip them to meld futuristic machines to help humans rather than harm them.

Students at the new university will therefore explore ways to ensure technology improves humankind's plight - by solving daunting problems such as poverty, famine, disease, global warming and dwindling energy supplies.

The university found a home last September when NASA agreed to let the school use some of the buildings on its Ames Research Centre, located near prominent Silicon Valley companies such Google, Yahoo, Intel and Cisco Systems.

Google already has contributed more than $1 million, and several other major companies are planning to pitch in at least $250,000.

Mr Kurzweil, who wrote the 2005 book The Singularity Is Near, began discussing the concept for the school two years ago with Peter Diamandis, who chairs the X Prize Foundation which provides grants to support technological change.

The founders are due to unveil the school's ambitions today in Long Beach, California at the annual Technology, Entertainment and Design conference (TED).

The launch comes on the same day as IBM revealed it is designing a supercomputer with the power of 2 million laptops.

The company said it was developing the technology for its new Sequoia computer which is due for completion in 2011 and will be used by the United States' Department of Energy for simulating nuclear tests.

IBM says they can also be used for complex tasks like weather forecasting or oil exploration.

Although Sequoia will be highly energy-efficient for the job it does, it will nevertheless occupy 96 refrigerator-sized racks in an area measuring 3,422 sq ft (318 sq m) - the size of a large house.

Source: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-1134743/Brave-new-college-University-prepares-scientists-era-computers-cleverer-humans.html