Not to worry about superintelligent machines taking over, says AI pioneer Dr. Raj Reddy. A more likely scenario: people who can think and act 1000 times faster, using personal intelligent agents.

Danny Belkin argues that integration of human and machine will lead to an interconnected \"organism\"--the next major evolutionary step forward for humanity.

Ray Kurzweil gives a speech at SIGGRAPH arguing that the exponential growth in computing power will bring fully immersive virtual reality within reach in the next 10-15 years. He also discusses nanotechnology, the \"singularity\", and the use of artificial life avatars.

Bruce Damer discusses the advances made in constructing elaborate digital worlds populated with digital avatars of real people interacting with bots, agents, and exotic life forms.

Ray Kurzweil argues that "the union of human and machine is well on its way" through developments in nanotechnology, virtual reality, and brain-machine interfaces. He predicts that humanity will soon "vastly expand our intellect as we merge our biological brains with non-biological intelligence."

Inventor-author Ray Kurzweil has proposed a major new national program to develop defensive strategies, technologies, and ethical standards to address the dangers of emerging genetic, nanotechnology and robotics technologies.

A prominent CEO of a nanotechnology research corporation argues that "Nanotechnology needs a 'grand challenge' project, and energy self-sufficiency is one that would pay huge benefits to both the USA and the world."

Kurzweil argues that of all the applications of theraputic cloning, human cloning is the least interesting and least worrisome.

Expert witnesses at a U.S. congressional hearing recommended wider public debate, greater resources to develop defensive technology, and funding of societal, ethical, and environmental impact studies along with technology forecasting and basic science studies.

[ Link to Hearings ]

Molecular manufacturing, and the use of molecular assemblers to hold and position molecules, will be key to the future, controlling how molecules react and allowing scientists to build complex structures with atomically precise control. In this essay, Dr. Drexler discusses the benefits and challenges of future molecular manufacturing.