Sam Harris Changes his Mind about AI and its Implications

I met Sam Harris at an Atheist convention in 2011. I was spruiking the Singularity Summit Australia – I had a stand and a banner, where I enthusiastically discussed the future of AI, biomedical technology and advancements in other impactful technology. I was also hosting a Humanity+ conference (also in Melbourne) with Aubrey de Grey speaking in Melbourne that I thought he might be interested in and offered him a pamphlet which he leaned away from and said “no thanks!” with his arms gesturing stop signs. I felt a bit awkward about it in the moment, but didn’t think too much of it at the time.

Later at the conference I listen intently as Sam Harris delivered a talk titled “Death and the Present Moment,” which explored mindfulness, the reality of mortality, and how the absence of an afterlife makes human life and the present moment deeply precious. I remember being naive and thinking that maybe he was going to mention the longevity movement and perhaps Aubrey de Grey – he said (at approx 9:41) that a few serious thinkers suggest we might eventually cure all disease, reverse ageing, or upload our consciousness onto an artificial intelligence – and that “when you look closely at these efforts, it begins to look like science enabled religion”. He must have seen my Singularity Summit stand, because he said that “I suspect that there are fans of the singularity here, but I don’t expect to have my consciousness backed up onto the iPad 25” after which the audience quietly laughs.

Now it seems as he has changed his tune.

Also see the Reuben Report – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gfpq_CIFDjg&t=45m40s