The Dark Side of the Technological Singularity (With John Hawkins). Ep #116

Whether it's AI, Brain-Computer Interfaces (BCI), the Internet of Things (IoT), or other emerging technologies, the motivations behind their release and the potential for misuse are significant considerations. The question then arises: what are the darker implications of the singularity and the technologies that will enable it?

About The Episode:

A few weeks ago I published an episode on the technological singularity that got a lot of attention and feedback from you the audience. One of the main ideas that was mentioned was the concern around the singularity and how it might negatively impact us as individuals as well as society as a whole. A lot of questions and comments revolved around the ramifications of AI becoming as intelligent as a human in all areas, and of course the next step of superintelligent AI. Which of course has gathered a lot of media attention over the last several months with the advent of ChatGPT and generative AI as a whole. But reading between the lines most of you were questioning if the programmers, creators, and companies coming out with these powerful technologies were to be trusted. Whether It’s AI, BCI, IoT, or other emerging technology what are the underlying reasons for them being released, and what are the potential misuses of the technologies when adopted? Effectively, what is the dark side of the singularity and the technologies that will enable it? 

To answer these questions and shed more light on the subject, John Hawkins comes back onto the podcast. John was a guest a little over a month ago to actually talk about the singularity initially, and re-sparked my interest in it and hopefully yours as well.

About The Guest:

John Hawkins is philosopher, poet and freelance journalist.  His work has appeared in publications around the world, including Rumpus, Cordite, Morning Star, the Australian. He is a regular contributor to CounterPunch magazine, a site for progressive politics, culture and the arts. His current research deals with the future of human consciousness in the age of AI. In addition, he is working on a novel.

Twitter: @CagedTechnology
Substack: https://tantricdispositionmatrix.substack.com/

TimeCodes:

00:01:27 - Introduction
00:04:03 - Interview Begins
00:04:38 - John defines the Singularity
00:05:40 - Brain-Computer Interfaces re-discussed
00:10:29 - Merging with machines
00:11:39 - Benefits of the Singularity
00:14:22 - The Exponential growth of AI and Technology
00:15:45 - The Dark Side of the Technological Singularity
00:17:59 - Who will control the singularity?
00:20:42 - Problems with Exponential Tech Growth
00:22:39 - Summarizing John's Views
00:27:49 - Negative impacts of Brain-computer Interface Technology
00:30:16 - BCI tech tested in Ukraine War?
00:31:17 - DARPA's Business Model
00:34:17 - How does Democratic values play into this?
00:38:13 - How is Covid connected to DARPA and the singularity?
00:41:37 - The Dark side of the Singularity is the lack of control as the public
00:43:30 - Genetically engineering humans already done
00:45:42 - Surveillance and the Singularity
00:54:15 - Solutions to the problems of the Singularity
01:05:15 - Where to Follow John