Summary
June 1, 2008: The article discusses the possibility of the Technological Singularity, and compares it with previous "singularities" - transition periods of great change. It argues that they can be identified by sudden changes in how often the world economic output doubles, and identifies the following eras:
- Pre-Agriculture: Economic output doubles every 250,000 years.
- Agricultural Revolution: Economic output doubles every 900 years.
- Industrial Revolution: Economic output doubles every 15 years.
However, since 2003 the pace of economic output is increasing yet again, and the article argues that we are at the beginning of another significant shift - after which world economic output might double every month or even week. The author suggests that one of the prime reasons for this might be the appearance and rapid proliferation of artificial intelligence, possibly ones modeled after human brains.