What Is Technological Singularity Built In

Bonisiwe Shabane

-Dec 27, 2025, 7:48 PM

what is technological singularity built in

The technological singularity, often simply called the singularity,[1] is a hypothetical event in which technological growth accelerates beyond human control, producing unpredictable changes in human civilization.[2][3] According to the most popular version of the... J. Good's intelligence explosion model of 1965, an upgradable intelligent agent could eventually enter a positive feedback loop of successive self-improvement cycles; more intelligent generations would appear more and more rapidly, causing an explosive increase... Some scientists, including Stephen Hawking, have expressed concern that artificial superintelligence could result in human extinction.[5][6] The consequences of a technological singularity and its potential benefit or harm to the human race have been... Prominent technologists and academics dispute the plausibility of a technological singularity and associated artificial intelligence "explosion", including Paul Allen,[7] Jeff Hawkins,[8] John Holland, Jaron Lanier, Steven Pinker,[8] Theodore Modis,[9] Gordon Moore,[8] and Roger Penrose.[10]... Stuart J.

Russell and Peter Norvig observe that in the history of technology, improvement in a particular area tends to follow an S curve: it begins with accelerating improvement, then levels off without continuing upward into... Alan Turing, often regarded as the father of modern computer science, laid a crucial foundation for contemporary discourse on the technological singularity. His pivotal 1950 paper "Computing Machinery and Intelligence" argued that a machine could, in theory, exhibit intelligent behavior equivalent to or indistinguishable from that of a human.[12] However, machines capable of performing at or... The Hungarian–American mathematician John von Neumann (1903–1957) is the first known person to discuss a coming "singularity" in technological progress.[14][15] Stanislaw Ulam reported in 1958 that an earlier discussion with von Neumann "centered on... Technological singularity, also called the singularity, refers to a theoretical future event at which computer intelligence surpasses that of humans. The term ‘singularity’ comes from mathematics and refers to a point that isn’t well defined and behaves unpredictably.

At this inflection point, a runaway effect would hypothetically set in motion, where superintelligent machines become capable of building better versions of themselves at such a rapid rate that humans would no longer be... The exponential growth of this technology would mark a point of no return, fundamentally changing society as we know it in unknown and irreversible ways. Technological singularity refers to a theoretical future event where rapid technological innovation leads to the creation of an uncontrollable superintelligence that transforms civilization as we know it. Machine intelligence becomes superior to that of humans, resulting in unforeseeable outcomes. According to John von Neumann, pioneer of the singularity concept, if machines were able to achieve singularity, then “human affairs, as we know them, could not continue.” Exactly how or when we arrive at this era is highly debated.

Some futurists regard the singularity as an inevitable fate, while others are in active efforts to prevent the creation of a digital mind beyond human oversight. Currently, policymakers across the globe are brainstorming ways to regulate AI developments. Meanwhile, more than 33,700 individuals collectively called for a pause on all AI lab projects that could outperform OpenAI’s GPT-4 chatbot, citing “profound risks to society and humanity.” The technological singularity is a theoretical concept suggesting that the rapid advancement of technology, particularly in artificial intelligence (AI), may one day surpass human control and understanding, fundamentally altering human civilization. Proponents believe this could lead to scenarios where humans merge with machines or are replaced by them, potentially resulting in self-aware computers or machines that can program themselves. The idea has roots in the 1950s and gained traction in the 1990s, with notable predictions from figures like Ray Kurzweil, who posited that machine intelligence could exceed human intelligence by 2045.

While some envision a future where technology enhances human capabilities and addresses societal challenges, others express concern over the risks associated with extreme reliance on AI. Skeptics question the feasibility of achieving true machine intelligence, arguing that human cognitive abilities, shaped by millions of years of evolution, may be impossible to replicate in machines. The discourse surrounding the singularity is diverse, with opinions ranging from utopian visions of human-machine collaboration to warnings about potential existential threats posed by advanced AI. Overall, the singularity represents a pivotal point in discussions about the future of technology and its implications for humanity. The technological singularity is the theoretical concept that the accelerating growth of technology will one day overwhelm human civilization. Adherents of the idea believe that the rapid advancements in artificial intelligence in the twenty-first century will eventually result in humans either merging with technology or being replaced by it.

Variations of the technological singularity include the development of computers that surpass human intelligence, a computer that becomes self-aware and can program itself, or the physical merger of biological and machine life. Skeptics argue that creating machine intelligence at that high of a level is unlikely or impossible, as is the human capability to insert true consciousness into a machine. The concept was first touched upon in the 1950s and later applied to computers in the 1990s. The term singularity originated in the field of astrophysics, where it refers to the region at the center of a black hole where gravitation forces become infinite. Computers are electronic machines that perform various functions, depending on the programming they receive. In most cases, even highly advanced systems are dependent on the instructions they receive from humans.

Artificial intelligence is a branch of computer engineering that seeks to program computers with the ability to simulate human intelligence. In this context, intelligence is defined as the ability to learn by acquiring information, reasoning, and self-correction. The term artificial intelligence (AI) was first used in the 1950s and can refer to everything from automated computer operations to robotics. AI is generally divided into two categories. Weak AI is a program designed to perform a particular task. Automated personal assistants such as Amazon's Alexa or Apple's Siri are examples of weak AI.

These devices recognize a user's commands and carry out their functions. The technological singularity is a theoretical scenario where technological growth becomes uncontrollable and irreversible, culminating in profound and unpredictable changes to human civilization. In theory, this phenomenon is driven by the emergence of artificial intelligence (AI) that surpasses human cognitive capabilities and can autonomously enhance itself. The term "singularity" in this context draws from mathematical concepts indicating a point where existing models break down and continuity in understanding is lost. This describes an era where machines not only match but substantially exceed human intelligence, starting a cycle of self-perpetuating technological evolution. The theory suggests that such advancements could evolve at a pace so rapid that humans would be unable to foresee, mitigate or halt the process.

This rapid evolution could give rise to synthetic intelligences that are not only autonomous but also capable of innovations that are beyond human comprehension or control. The possibility that machines might create even more advanced versions of themselves could shift humanity into a new reality where humans are no longer the most capable entities. The implications of reaching this singularity point could be good for the human race or catastrophic. For now, the concept is relegated to science fiction, but nonetheless, it can be valuable to contemplate what such a future might look like, so that humanity might steer AI development in such a... Get curated insights on the most important—and intriguing—AI news. Subscribe to our weekly Think newsletter.

See the IBM Privacy Statement. Your subscription will be delivered in English. You will find an unsubscribe link in every newsletter. You can manage your subscriptions or unsubscribe here. Refer to our IBM Privacy Statement for more information. Published in Arkapravo Bhaumik, From AI to Robotics, 2018

This apocalyptic future, where technological intelligence is a few million times that of the average human intelligence and technological progress is so fast that it is difficult to keep track of it, is known... AI scientists also relate this event to the coming of super intelligence [43], artificial entities which have cognitive abilities a million times richer in intellect and are stupendously faster than the processing of the... The irony is such that nowadays the monikers of Terminator and Skynet [318], as shown in Figure 10.1, are quickly married into research and innovation in AI [185] and robotics [66], such as Google... and has consequently led to fear mongering [255,306,355] and drafting of guidelines [24,224,274], rules [364] and laws [60,342,348] to tackle this apocalypse of the future. These edicts attempt to restore human superiority by either reducing robots to mere artifacts and machines or tries to make a moral call to the AI scientist, insisting on awareness of the consequences. Therefore, advancing AI clearly sets the proverbial cat among the pigeons.

Other than the media, science fiction is replete with such futuristic scenarios. Čapek’s iconic play in the 1920s, R.U.R — Rossum’s Universal Robots, which gave us the word ‘Robot’ ends with the death of the last human being and a world dominated by robots with feelings... Other iconic tales of robocalypse and dystopia are, HAL set in 2001, Blade Runner in 2019, I, Robot in 2035, Terminator set in 2029, while Wall-E is set 800 years in the future in... All of these provide examples of a futuristic human-robot society, and while nearly all of them are unsettling, all of them at the very least confirm a proliferation of AI and robots both in... It is interesting to note that in more academic concerns, Toda’s fungus eaters are tagged to a sell date of 2061. Published in Journal of Experimental & Theoretical Artificial Intelligence, 2021

The concept of technological singularity is not new. The term was coined back in 1993 when Vernor Vinge presented the underlying idea of creating intelligence (Vinge, 1993). Technological Singularity may be defined as a situation in which it is believed that artificial intelligence would be capable of self-improvement or building smarter and more powerful machines than itself to ultimately surpass human... The concept primarily refers to a situation where ordinary human intelligence is enhanced or overtaken by artificial intelligence. Vinge describes there several ways to attain technological singularity Computers that are aware and superhumanly intelligent may be developed.Large computer networks (and their associated users, both humans and programs) may wake up as superhumanly... Matt Holman, Guy Walker, Terry Lansdown, Adam Hulme

Our editors will review what you’ve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. singularity, theoretical condition that could arrive in the near future when a synthesis of several powerful new technologies will radically change the realities in which we find ourselves in an unpredictable manner. Most notably, the singularity would involve computer programs becoming so advanced that artificial intelligence transcends human intelligence, potentially erasing the boundary between humanity and computers. Often, nanotechnology is included as one of the key technologies that will make the singularity happen. In 1993 the magazine Whole Earth Review published an article titled “Technological Singularity” by Vernor Vinge, a computer scientist and science fiction author. Vinge imagined that future information networks and human-machine interfaces would lead to novel conditions with new qualities: “a new reality rules.” But there was a trick to knowing the singularity.

Even if one could know that it was imminent, one could not know what it would be like with any specificity. This condition will be, by definition, so thoroughly transcendent that we cannot imagine what it will be like. There was “an opaque wall across the future,” and “the new era is simply too different to fit into the classical frame of good and evil.” It could be amazing or apocalyptic, but we... Since that time, the idea of the singularity has been expanded to accommodate numerous visions of apocalyptic changes and technological salvation, not limited to Vinge’s parameters of information systems. One version championed by the inventor and visionary Ray Kurzweil emphasizes biology, cryonics, and medicine (including nanomedicine): in the future we will have the medical tools to banish disease and disease-related death. Another is represented in the writings of the sociologist William Sims Bainbridge, who describes a promise of “cyberimmortality,” when we will be able to experience a spiritual eternity that persists long after our bodies...

This variation circles back to Vinge’s original vision of a singularity driven by information systems. Cyberimmortality will work perfectly if servers never crash, power systems never fail, and some people in later generations have plenty of time to examine the digital records of our own thoughts and feelings. One can also find a less radical expression of the singularity in Converging Technologies for Improving Human Performance. This 2003 collection tacitly accepts the inevitability of so-called NBIC convergence, that is, the near-future synthesis of nanotech, biotech, infotech, and cognitive science. Because this volume was sponsored by the U.S. National Science Foundation and edited by two of its officers, Mihail Roco and Bainbridge, some saw it as a semiofficial government endorsement of expectations of the singularity.

Short intro:The technological singularity is a theorized moment when artificial intelligence advances at such a pace that it surpasses human control, dramatically transforming civilization.This guide explains definitions, timelines, leading predictions (Kurzweil), core risks, and... SEO snippet: The technological singularity is the potential future moment when AI-driven progress accelerates beyond human comprehension — this article unpacks definitions, timelines, and safety implications.Short overview: This introduction frames why researchers, policymakers, and... Use this section as the pillar summary and anchor for internal linking. LSI keywords: tech singularity meaning, future of AI, AI tipping point, singularity overview SEO snippet: “Technological singularity” refers to a hypothetical future point where technological progress (mostly AI) becomes self-accelerating and unpredictable. What the term covers:The technological singularity is the umbrella concept for scenarios in which technology—especially AI—drives rapid, recursive change that outpaces ordinary forecasting.

What Is Technological Singularity Built In

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