On the cusp of a far-reaching revolution thanks to the advances in artificial intelligence and computing, it’s easy to feel a bit…concerned. Well, maybe more than just a bit, especially if you consider societal attitudes about technology.

Truth is that the way we perceive the world around us is conditioned to a degree by the environment we grow up within. There’s also little doubt that certain cultures are more open and adaptive to technology than others. But one could argue that the potential enhancements that AI could usher in are so dramatically advanced that even the earliest adopters within Silicon Valley aren’t really prepared for what’s coming.

So it’s safe to ask, before this great wave of artificial intelligence arrives and we become fully integrated with it, shouldn’t we strive to change our inherited mental models and let go of antiquated thinking patterns?

This question was in essence posed to Ray Kurzweil at a session during the 2015 Graduate Studies Program at Singularity University. To answer the question of what the future holds, Kurzweil started by thinking of our past: “Our enhancement with technology is a gradual process which has been underway for a long time.”

Though this is a question that could be discussed for years, Kurzweil has a rather succinct answer to this mind-boggling question.

Given that Kurzweil is working on a sequel to The Singularity Is Near, it’s only a matter of time before he provides a roadmap for complete AI enhancement and augmentation.

Interested in attending the Graduate Studies Program at Singularity University? Be sure to key an eye out as applications will be opening soon for the 2016 program!

[image courtesy of Shutterstock]