Spoiler Alert: The Singularity is Bullshit!

TL;DR: The concept of the Technological Singularity is a self-fulfilling ideology that justifies and fuels the current AI hype train. However, the hype is NOT supported by concrete technological evidence.<br><br># Introduction<br><br>Alright, I'm gonna do what no one here dares to do: call out the elephant in the room. The Technological Singularity is a self-fulfilling ideology that has dominated modern AI discourses for decades. The concept of a hypothetical event in which artificial intelligence surpasses human intelligence, leading to exponential growth in technological advancements, has gained significant attention.<br><br>However, it's time to ask the question: Is the Singularity merely a pipe dream? In this post, I will argue that the concept of the Technological Singularity is a self-fulfilling ideology that justifies and fuels the current AI hype train. However, this hype is NOT supported by concrete technological evidence.<br><br># What is the Technological Singularity?<br><br>The Technological Singularity is a hypothetical event in which artificial intelligence (AI) surpasses human intelligence, leading to exponential growth in technological advancements. This concept was popularized by mathematician and computer scientist Vernor Vinge in his 1983 essay "The Coming Technological Singularity," in which he argued that the creation of superhuman artificial intelligence would inevitably lead to an intelligence explosion.<br><br># Historical Examples of the AI Hype Train<br><br>Spoiler Alert: None of these predictions have come to pass, yet!<br><br>&#x200B;<br><br>\+ In the 1950s, computer scientists predicted that a machine capable of defeating a human chess champion could be developed within a decade or two. It took over 40 years to finally achieve this goal.<br><br>&#x200B;<br><br>\+ In the 1960s, AI pioneer Marvin Minsky predicted that within three to eight years, we would have a machine with the general intelligence of an average human being, and within 10 years, the problem of creating artificial intelligence would be substantially solved. This has yet to be achieved.<br><br>&#x200B;<br><br>\+ In the 1980s, John McCarthy, another AI pioneer, predicted that we would have human-level AI in 50 years, which has yet to come to fruition.<br><br>&#x200B;<br><br>\+ More recently, in 2014, Google's Director of Engineering predicted that by 2029, "AI will be able to do any intellectual task that humans can," and by 2040, "AI will be capable of doing virtually anything." These predictions have yet to be fulfilled.<br><br>&#x200B;<br><br>Today, the current predictions say that we will have the Singularity in the 2090s (40-50 years from now). Who knows what the future holds, right?<br><br># How Does the AI Hype Train Perpetuate Itself<br><br>The AI hype train perpetuates itself through a combination of factors:<br><br>1. **The self-fulfilling prophecy phenomenon**: The more people believe in the Singularity, the more they invest in AI development, creating a feedback loop that reinforces the idea that the Singularity is inevitable.<br>2. **The fear of missing out (FOMO)**: The prospect of missing out on potential benefits of the Singularity creates pressure on individuals, businesses, and governments to invest in AI research and development, further fueling the hype train.<br>3. **Marketing and media hype**: The idea of the Singularity captures the imagination of the public and the media, generating significant attention and interest in AI technologies.<br>4. **Scientific and technological advancements**: Genuine breakthroughs in AI research and development contribute to the perception that the Singularity is nearing.<br><br># Conclusion<br><br>The Technological Singularity is a self-fulfilling ideology that justifies and fuels the current AI hype train. However, there is NO concrete technological evidence to support these claims. Historically, predictions of achieving human-level AI or the Singularity have consistently been overly optimistic, and the current predictions are NOT supported by concrete technological evidence.<br><br>In contrast, the Singularity has been used as a rallying cry to "invest" trillions of dollars in AI research, which has been used to:<br><br>1\. Create record-breaking profits for tech companies.<br><br>2\. Fuel and justify the AI hype train.<br><br>3\. Invent new AI applications that have already transformed our lives for better or for worse.<br><br>4\. Achieve scientific discoveries in the fields of AI, robotics, computer vision, and data science.<br><br>5\. Create new and exciting business opportunities.<br><br>While these benefits are both valuable and exciting, none of these achievements remotely resembles the concrete technological evidence necessary to achieve the Singularity anytime soon. The Singularity remains an unproven concept with unclear technological potential, significances, and timing.<br><br>The bottom line is that the Singularity might happen someday. However, the concrete technological evidence necessary to achieve this event is still missing. Indeed, it is time to acknowledge that the Emperor is still naked in front of the entire village.