An upcoming documentary, Transcendent Man, details the story of Ray Kurzweil’s Singularity: the idea that machines will gain consciousness as a true AI will be developed. At that point, the machines will either help us reach our potential among the stars or enslave us and torture us for fun

Frankly, I think there isn’t enough energy available on the planet to support such a development unless a dramatic revision of physics occurs. Regardless it is an interesting concept to debate. Kurzweil pops a tremendous number of pills and is likely to suffer greatly as the comforts provided by technology evaporate to all but the super-rich in the decade ahead. I don’t spend much time on the Singularity because I think it is a highly unlikely path our future will take However, its not impossible and is certainly entertaining.