Ray Kurzweil is an inventor, entrepreneur and a director of engineering at Google. In addition to inventing the charge-coupled device (CCD) flatbed scanner, Kurzweil has written a number of books and scripts addressing the integrated future of humans and technology. He was awarded the US National Medal of Technology in 1999 and, over the years, has received 20 honorary doctorates as well as honors from three US presidents.
The Singularity Is Near (2005) shows how evolution is drawing ever closer to a dramatic new phase, in that by 2029, computers will be smarter than humans, and not just in terms of logic and math. This event will not only profoundly change how we live but also pose serious questions about humanity’s future.
How to Create a Mind (2012) offers an intimate examination of the nuts and bolts behind how the brain works. Once we understand exactly how people think, perceive the world and decide to take action, the creation of true artificial intelligence seems a possibility that’s just around the corner.
The Age of Spiritual Machines (1999) is your guide to the future. These blinks explain the new age of machines and what robotic intelligence will mean for life as we know it.