What the hell does Ray Kurzweil mean when he says "The Singularity is Near" and "The Singularity is Nearer"?
What is the singularity?
It is the point where technological growth accelerates beyond humanity's control or even comprehension.
Here are the three parts of the "Singularity":
Extremely Rapid Growth of Technology
Artificial Superintelligence
Human-Machine Merge
1. Extremely Rapid Growth of Technology
This is the idea that AI, when it reaches superintelligence, will invent and advance technologies to solve problems plaguing humanity for millennia. These technologies may be advanced gene therapies to stop aging, wormhole-based light-year travel, extremely efficient fusion for easier manufacturing, and so on beyond what I or anyone can imagine. Human life would be unrecognizable and even unbelievable from today's standpoint (in a good way, I hope).
2. Artificial Superintelligence (ASI)
AI will surpass human intelligence to the point where we are like ants or even bacteria. ASI would be frightening to us because we don't care what happens to ants. Why would ASI care about us? This is where we have to be careful to start it with our human values and ethics before it gets to ASI level.
3. Human-Machine Merge: Join us or die!'
Just kidding. But seriously, this is the idea that humans will make themselves smarter by receiving brain implants made to connect with superintelligent AI.This will allow humans to be in communion with the higher intelligence of our new god.