The Unavoidable Rise of Artificial Intelligence in Our Lives
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Chapter 1: The Foundations of Artificial Intelligence
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is a fascinating and complex subject. We find ourselves inundated with groundbreaking applications of machine learning, cautioned about potential threats it poses to humanity, yet we are told that true self-aware 'general' intelligence—similar to our own—is still a distant aspiration.
While I recognize these perspectives, I aim to convey that the emergence of a non-biological intelligence that exceeds human capabilities is not just possible, but unavoidable.
"From so simple a beginning endless forms most beautiful and most wonderful have been, and are being, evolved."
- Charles Darwin, On the Origin of Species
Fifty-five million years ago, the first primates made their appearance. It took another fifty million years for orrorin tugenensis, a small, tree-dwelling primate and a likely ancestor to bipedal beings, to emerge. Through countless generations, hominids evolved, leading to significant developments in brain size and function. Over a span of seven million years, human brains have tripled in size, with the majority of this growth occurring in the last two million years—the final phase of our evolution.
Around 2.5 million years ago, our ancestors began using basic stone tools, and Homo habilis, one of the earliest members of our genus, appeared two million years ago, marking a modest increase in brain volume.
In the last 500,000 years, various species within the Homo genus emerged, leading to the rise of Homo sapiens, who began to thrive around 250,000 years ago. This species quickly engaged in conflicts with Homo neanderthalis, which continued until approximately 30,000 years ago. Despite their greater physical strength and larger brains, we eventually outlasted our Neanderthal cousins.
Around 60,000 years ago, human populations faced a near extinction event, possibly due to disease, extreme cold, or catastrophic volcanic eruptions, leaving as few as 2,000 individuals—essentially a couple of thousand mating pairs.
This critical moment gave rise to what is known as "the great leap forward," a period marked by accelerated human evolution driven by social interaction, language, and trust. Our tribes grew larger, and our ability to create art and culture flourished. This rapid development enabled Homo sapiens to adapt better to harsh climates, ultimately allowing us to outlive our otherwise superior relatives.
Section 1.1: Hacking Evolution
"We are machines built by DNA whose purpose is to make more copies of the same DNA."
- Richard Dawkins, The Blind Watchmaker (1986)
With advancements in social skills, we transcended the slow biological inheritance process. Our knowledge began to be shared through societal and cultural means rather than solely through genetics.
We became adept at "hacking" the biological system. While other species relied on genetic inheritance, humans communicated advancements across generations more rapidly—first through social norms, then through culture, and eventually through education, law, and religion.
Nature itself has adapted through eons of evolutionary trials, thriving with numerous competing entities that test and occasionally enhance the genetic signals passed down through their lineage. Each generation modifies and occasionally improves upon the inherited blueprint.
Culture, language, and society provided an alternative to biological evolution, allowing us to transmit a different kind of signal through language, literature, history, and science. This new complexity accelerated our evolution.
Sixty thousand years ago, humanity began to flourish, creating beer around 4000 BCE, followed by social groups, language, agriculture, and writing—all within a remarkably short period.
In 1620, Francis Bacon introduced a 'new method' in his Novum Organum, which laid the groundwork for subsequent scientific giants like Newton, Darwin, Popper, and Einstein.
Chapter 2: The Evolution of Networks
The rapid development of communication technologies—from printed books to the Internet—has dramatically increased our capacity to share knowledge. The Internet, which began with ARPANET in 1969, reflects humanity’s inherent desire to connect and share information.
It has driven technological advancements, pushing the need for greater computational power and storage solutions. The rise of cloud computing has democratized access to massive data processing capabilities, making machine learning accessible to a broader audience.
Recent breakthroughs in machine learning have enhanced machine perception, enabling robots to navigate environments and perform tasks with greater autonomy. We are now in an age of self-driving cars and robotic deliveries, where technological progress is accelerating rapidly.
The current evolution of AI is akin to a genetic revolution, demonstrating that machines can evolve more swiftly than biological entities. The recent surge in popularity of OpenAI's ChatGPT illustrates this point, having reached 100 million unique users within just two months of its release in January 2023.
While impressive, ChatGPT is merely one of several large language models (LLMs) being developed by various tech companies. The vast datasets available online have fueled the growth of LLMs, which rely on an immense amount of text and images for training.
The rapid advancements in AI are made possible by the unprecedented growth of processing power and the collaborative sharing of knowledge through the Internet. This shift is enabling us to pass on and refine our collective knowledge at an exponential rate, signaling a new stage in our evolutionary journey.
Section 2.1: The Implications of Rapid Change
As we witness the swift evolution of artificial intelligence, it is crucial to consider the implications of this change. While we may not yet possess true artificial general intelligence (AGI), the trajectory of AI development suggests that it is likely just a matter of time before machines surpass human intellect.
Human beings will inevitably be replaced as the apex intellectual species, as algorithms can adapt more rapidly than our biological limitations allow. The potential for these systems to evolve and learn is virtually limitless.
In conclusion, the advancements in social structures, collaboration, and culture over the past 60,000 years have allowed us to transcend biological inheritance. We now digitize and share our collective knowledge instantaneously, enabling machines to learn from our history and experiences.
The crux of the matter lies in the speed of change. AI's potential to surpass human cognition is not a question of if, but when. Are you ready for this transformation?