Category OpEd
(draft) This chapter explores the development of “ghosts in the machine,” or digital copies of personalities, by leveraging cognitive architectures, graph databases, generative AI, and all the records we have on any given individual we want to emulate or replicate… Continue Reading →
Artificial intelligence (AI) is a rapidly developing technology that has the potential to revolutionize countless industries. However, recent decisions by the US Federal Copyright Office threaten to stifle progress and limit the power of AI. Specifically, the Copyright Office has… Continue Reading →
The human brain is a fascinating organ, and it accounts for much of the distinction between human beings and other life forms. Interesting questions regarding the brain arise. For example, why is it that, in the early stages of human… Continue Reading →
It may be anathema to say this, but I have not always been the biggest fan of democracy. The whole idea of one person having one vote struck me as extremely odd. How can one vote be equal to another?… Continue Reading →
It truly baffles me that Congress has decided to allocate such a large sum in the recent infrastructure bill towards local mass-transit systems. How is it not seen that ridesharing trumps mass-transit in every possible way (except in SOME cases,… Continue Reading →
When dealing with the issue of sentience in animals, it becomes important to ask: Where do we draw the line? Many of the animals we use for companionship are ones we would easily define as having sentience, but the… Continue Reading →
In the modern Age of Accelerating Returns, more commonly known as the information age, the rate of technological growth is accelerating at an unprecedented rate. Never before in the history of humanity has technological growth shown itself so clearly to… Continue Reading →
t’s time for humankind to grow up — but it might also be more important than ever that we reconnect with our inner children and play like our lives depend on it (because they do). And so, given the in-progress BBC/HBO… Continue Reading →
According to The Emerging Future, every 12 to 18 months computers and machines double their capacity. This means that the speed of technological development is very high. In the past, we already went through disruption with the Industrial Revolution. But… Continue Reading →
This series is deeply engaged with economics. While it is generally less direct most events in the early episodes deal with economic disparities to one extent or another. Nowhere is this more direct and consistent than in the opening theme. … Continue Reading →
Prof. Chris Hables Gray is someone whose work on both war and the cyborg is a must read for anyone interested in those topics. I have followed Gray’s work for over 10 years and have read at least 3 of his books…. Continue Reading →
When thinking about the IAmTranshuman project I always end up thinking about policy and things that could be improved even in small ways to help society be more transhuman. For example one of the problems with democracy is that it… Continue Reading →
We all have the potential to pioneer this universe of wonders and discoveries, but we are like genies trapped in bottles. Not only that, the bottle is rusting away, and we have barely gotten to exercise our powers. Yet here… Continue Reading →
The future of cars undoubtedly seems exciting. Up to this point, cars were viewed primarily as a convenient method of transportation. The main advancements were made in reliability, safety, performance, and overall comfort. However, the advent of the internet and artificial… Continue Reading →
High fees, long queues in the bank, long waiting times to send money across the world, chargeback frauds, and similar issues are all about to become part of history. With the latest technology known as „blockchain“ that powers cryptocurrencies, our… Continue Reading →
This is a brief analysis we did of Tom Ross’s novel US6 that he wrote for AI. This brief analysis is not meant for scientific publication but more out of interest in and support of Tom and his activities; to… Continue Reading →
In a conference on Ethics and Artificial Intelligence at Stanford, I was talking with a friend about AI—in particular, the existential risk of AGI to humanity. The whole “Bostrom” mentality, for me, was a bit of a struggle…not because I… Continue Reading →
Accelerating and converging trends of various types allow us to know one thing about the 21st Century with complete certainty: That it will not be business as usual. One way or another, life as you know it now will not… Continue Reading →
The other night my teenage boys asked me what was on my mind (likely looking for material to make fun of me. Just kidding, they’re thoughtful kids). Instead of trying to “kid proof” my thoughts or rush the conversation, I… Continue Reading →
In 2013 news broke that Rich Lee, body modification and music enthusiast, implanted magnets into each tragus to be able to listen to music without external headphones. The technology needed a homemade chunky necklace that “creates a magnetic field causing the implant… Continue Reading →
The Foundation, Transhumanity.net, The Transhuman House, ZS and more… what is in store for 2019? It will all be part of the plan… The past year has had a lot of ups and downs. From the success of the AI… Continue Reading →
Joscha Bach is one of those rare people whose primary motivation is unbound curiosity and inspiration. He clearly loves what he does and you can’t help but notice his radiating passion and youthful exuberance. Joscha has an impressively wide and deep knowledge in a variety of scientific, philosophical and artistic disciplines and I had to do my best just to keep up with Bach’s brilliant fast-paced mind and stream of consciousness. I enjoyed our conversation immensely and hope you love it too.
There are those of us who philosophize and debate the finer points surrounding the dangers of artificial intelligence. And then there are those who dare go in the trenches and get their hands dirty by doing the actual work that… Continue Reading →
This week’s episode is the conclusion of a special two-part conversation with Dr. Mark Nelson, one of the eight “biospherians” who lived for two years inside the closed ecological network Biosphere 2 – one of the most ambitious experiments ever… Continue Reading →
There are two people who caused me to become vegan and switch to a whole-plant-based diet. The first is Prof. Peter Singer who put the idea in my head many years ago when I started studying ethics. The second person is Dr. Michael… Continue Reading →
Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies are gaining more attention as days pass. Aside from the advantages that cryptocurrencies have like anonymity and easy international transactions, people are enticed by the fact that it can become a good investment. Apart from trading bitcoins for cash, you… Continue Reading →
This week’s guest is one of my favorite living musicians, acoustic guitarist Andreas Kapsalis. We linked up at the magical experimental city of Arcosanti, Arizona last year during their Convergence event, at which we both performed, and talked about life… Continue Reading →
This article is part of a series about how OS Fund (OSF) companies are radically redefining our future by rewriting the operating systems of life. Or as we prefer to think about it: Step 1: Put a dent into the universe…. Continue Reading →
This week’s a treat – not one, but FOUR amazing guests, in Future Fossils Podcast’s first live taping at EFF-Austin, 10 July 2017. Heather Barfield (Head of EFF-Austin Digital Arts Coalition and Director of Development, Vortex Theater); Maggie Duval (Chief Experience… Continue Reading →
In this installment of the Future Grind podcast host Ryan O’Shea sits down with Gennady Stolyarov II, Chairman of the US Transhumanist Party. Gennady took the reins of the Transhumanist Party when the organization’s founder, Zoltan Istvan, stepped down after… Continue Reading →
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