Notes to Myself

Digital Revolution

Time Period: 1970 to 2020

Organizing Principles: -Information is the new currency, connectivity is ubiquitous, and data drives decision-making. -People should embrace rapid technological change and view the world as an interconnected network of information and opportunities.

Result: Out of the exponential growth in computing power, the rise of the internet, and the proliferation of mobile devices emerged a hyperconnected global society, setting the stage for the dramatic changes to come in the following decades.

The Singularity Approaches

Time Period: 2020 to 2045

Organizing Principles: – Artificial intelligence surpasses human intelligence in most domains. – Nanotechnology and biotechnology radically transform medicine and human biology. – The distinction between human and machine intelligence begins to blur.

Result: Out of the convergence of genetics, nanotechnology, and robotics (GNR) arises a world where human longevity is dramatically extended, brain-computer interfaces become commonplace, and artificial intelligence becomes an integral part of daily life, leading to unprecedented economic growth and scientific advancement.

The Singularity and Beyond

Time Period: 2045 to 2100

Organizing Principles: – Technological progress becomes effectively instantaneous from a human perspective. – Human and machine intelligence merge, transcending biological limitations. – Reality becomes fluid, with the physical and virtual worlds seamlessly integrated.

Result: The Technological Singularity occurs around 2045, leading to an explosion of superintelligence. Humans who merge with this technology experience a radical expansion of their cognitive abilities. Nanotechnology allows for control over matter at the atomic level, solving issues of scarcity, health, and environmental degradation.

Post-Singularity Expansion

Time Period: 2100 to 2200

Organizing Principles: – Consciousness can be substrate-independent, existing in biological, digital, or hybrid forms. – The entire galaxy becomes a super-organism of intelligence. – The nature of reality itself is understood and potentially manipulable.

Result: Humanity, or its descendants, begin to spread throughout the solar system and beyond, converting matter into computronium – computer-like circuits optimized for computation and consciousness. The exploration of inner space (within computing substrates) becomes as vast and important as the exploration of outer space.

Cosmic Awakening

Time Period: 2200 and beyond

Organizing Principles: – Intelligence spreads at or near the speed of light throughout the universe. – The fundamental nature of consciousness and its relationship to physics is fully understood. – The ability to create and shape universes becomes theoretically possible.

Result: The descendants of Earth-originating intelligence saturate the galaxy and begin to influence the structure and future of the cosmos itself. The ultimate limits of intelligence and computation in our universe are approached, potentially leading to attempts to transcend our current universe or communicate with other universes.