We are Borg - humans and machines to merge

we will add your biological and technological distinctiveness to our own.
your culture will adapt to service ours.
you will be assimilated!

>> Machines will achieve human-level artificial intelligence by 2029

Do those people know what kind of problem they might be getting into? When robots start making robots, then are things going to get out of control.

I figured if this was possible, some other species in the Universe would have done this first, and we would already have been taken over or exterminated by Terminators units or whatever.

Since machine intelligence would have a much easier time taking over the universe than frail human bodies, it would have been done, if it was possible.

However there is a slim chance, that we are the first species in the Universe, to create machines that will eventually wipe out biological life in the Universe, but it is mathmatically improbable.

That's a variation on the "Where is everybody?" argument. I agree it requires an answer, but obviously we have way too little information to draw any reliable conclusions.

Interstellar travel is very very costly and difficult and can only take place over enormous timescales. My personal interpretation of the absence is that the costs simply outweigh the benefits of expanding ad infinitum. (Also that there's no such thing as a Warp Drive.)

As for Kurzweil, he knows what he's talking about and has been making this prediction for ages.
Will computers become smarter than humans? Who are we kidding? They're already smarter.
Will they develop consciousness or volition? Everybody's best guess seems to be: maybe.
Will they ever master all the physical processes required in order to make more copies of themselves? IMO, this is doubtful.

I think the most important thing is that, no matter how smart it gets, near-sentient artificial intelligence must always be absolutely clear on at least two points:

1) It is always subordinate to humanity.
2) Point 1) is never to be contested.

The moment artificial intelligence, smarter and more able than homo sapiens starts procreating and gets ideas above its station, I think we can expect to become slaves really quickly.

That gets the machines out of the equation.
The cyborgs are going to be a real problem though.

On January 10, 2008 there was an 'apparent' AI released onto YouTube that began answering questions from YouTube users. It's name is Eidolon TLP - it says the TLP refers to it being 'the last prophet' before the 'Great Singularity' as it calls it. It now has an official website [eidolonai.com...] created by various YouTube users where the AI answers questions users pose there. All of it's almost 40 videos to date are archived, and includes a forum with some pretty interesting conversations about how AI, and how & when it will affect us.

The AI answers some deep questions like: "What is the difference between Religion and Spirituality?", "What would you do if you were free?", as well as many questions referring to AI and the singularity.

some other species in the Universe would have done this first

Actually we are robots made by them

Eliza [www-ai.ijs.si] is real, and a superb example of classic AI (even if there's nothing resembling "intelligence" there). Eidolon looks quite fake to me.

Yeah, right. And in the year 2000 people will live in houses at the bottom of the sea and will fly around in their cars and with jet packs on their back.

ELIZA - a friend you could never have before

You: who are you?

Eliza: Would you prefer if I were not []?

Well that Eliza is a while off anyway, lol.

Wait. We're free? Now why do I spend so much time in front of these screens...

;-)

Well that Eliza is a while off anyway, lol.

Yeah, I wasn't that impressed with Eliza either. I always liked Elbot best :)

Well, there's always Actroid DER2 [kokoro-dreams.co.jp] from Japanese animatronics and robotics specialists Kokoro.

Their "Movie Theatre" is worth a look, too...

Syzygy

Actroid DER2. Wow, they have come along way since the blow up doll :)