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  3. the idea that a "singularity" is possible is just the idea that you can turn "mistaking a sigmoid for an exponential" into a millenarian religion

the idea that a "singularity" is possible is just the idea that you can turn "mistaking a sigmoid for an exponential" into a millenarian religion

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  • glyph@mastodon.socialG This user is from outside of this forum
    glyph@mastodon.socialG This user is from outside of this forum
    glyph@mastodon.social
    wrote last edited by
    #1

    the idea that a "singularity" is possible is just the idea that you can turn "mistaking a sigmoid for an exponential" into a millenarian religion

    glyph@mastodon.socialG snoopj@hachyderm.ioS mcc@mastodon.socialM suetanvil@freeradical.zoneS zenkat@sfba.socialZ 8 Replies Last reply
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    • glyph@mastodon.socialG glyph@mastodon.social

      the idea that a "singularity" is possible is just the idea that you can turn "mistaking a sigmoid for an exponential" into a millenarian religion

      glyph@mastodon.socialG This user is from outside of this forum
      glyph@mastodon.socialG This user is from outside of this forum
      glyph@mastodon.social
      wrote last edited by
      #2

      resources run out. processes hit bottlenecks. optimizations reach physical limits. perpetual motion machines are impossible for reasons that are pretty well understood

      glyph@mastodon.socialG drwho@masto.hackers.townD 2 Replies Last reply
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      • glyph@mastodon.socialG glyph@mastodon.social

        the idea that a "singularity" is possible is just the idea that you can turn "mistaking a sigmoid for an exponential" into a millenarian religion

        snoopj@hachyderm.ioS This user is from outside of this forum
        snoopj@hachyderm.ioS This user is from outside of this forum
        snoopj@hachyderm.io
        wrote last edited by
        #3

        @glyph 1001 ways in which ray kurzweil is a very unserious man and society has been irreparably damaged by people acting otherwise

        1 Reply Last reply
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        • glyph@mastodon.socialG glyph@mastodon.social

          resources run out. processes hit bottlenecks. optimizations reach physical limits. perpetual motion machines are impossible for reasons that are pretty well understood

          glyph@mastodon.socialG This user is from outside of this forum
          glyph@mastodon.socialG This user is from outside of this forum
          glyph@mastodon.social
          wrote last edited by
          #4

          it is so mind-meltingly frustrating to see people think that we are close to a "singularity" with current AI technology. here's a hint about when you could worry about a disruption so big that it might, even momentarily, *appear* to be a singularity:

          a single corporation turning a profit even once

          glyph@mastodon.socialG xgranade@wandering.shopX theorangetheme@en.osm.townT 3 Replies Last reply
          0
          • glyph@mastodon.socialG glyph@mastodon.social

            it is so mind-meltingly frustrating to see people think that we are close to a "singularity" with current AI technology. here's a hint about when you could worry about a disruption so big that it might, even momentarily, *appear* to be a singularity:

            a single corporation turning a profit even once

            glyph@mastodon.socialG This user is from outside of this forum
            glyph@mastodon.socialG This user is from outside of this forum
            glyph@mastodon.social
            wrote last edited by
            #5

            in order to be a singularity candidate, an AI would need to achieve vertical integration from silicon fabrication through logistics and integration, into operating systems and applications, with tight whole-system feedback from the robotics to the shipping to the power generation and back

            glyph@mastodon.socialG r343l@freeradical.zoneR varx@cybersecurity.theaterV 3 Replies Last reply
            0
            • glyph@mastodon.socialG glyph@mastodon.social

              it is so mind-meltingly frustrating to see people think that we are close to a "singularity" with current AI technology. here's a hint about when you could worry about a disruption so big that it might, even momentarily, *appear* to be a singularity:

              a single corporation turning a profit even once

              xgranade@wandering.shopX This user is from outside of this forum
              xgranade@wandering.shopX This user is from outside of this forum
              xgranade@wandering.shop
              wrote last edited by
              #6

              @glyph There's two distinct claims that are each independently ridiculous: The Singularity is a real thing, and LLMs put us closer to The Singularity.

              1 Reply Last reply
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              • glyph@mastodon.socialG glyph@mastodon.social

                the idea that a "singularity" is possible is just the idea that you can turn "mistaking a sigmoid for an exponential" into a millenarian religion

                mcc@mastodon.socialM This user is from outside of this forum
                mcc@mastodon.socialM This user is from outside of this forum
                mcc@mastodon.social
                wrote last edited by
                #7

                @glyph my assertion was that the singularity, as described by ray kurzweil, accurately describes the invention of writing, and i don't see why it would be more interesting if the self-improving intelligent mechanism were made of etched silicon instead of CHNOPS nanomachines. it is harder for etched silicon to self-reproduce, anyway. the CHNOPS nanomachines just do that.

                i think human advancement *has* followed an exponential-*looking* curve since that point, albeit with a low base.

                darkuncle@infosec.exchangeD lockex@ioc.exchangeL 2 Replies Last reply
                0
                • glyph@mastodon.socialG glyph@mastodon.social

                  in order to be a singularity candidate, an AI would need to achieve vertical integration from silicon fabrication through logistics and integration, into operating systems and applications, with tight whole-system feedback from the robotics to the shipping to the power generation and back

                  glyph@mastodon.socialG This user is from outside of this forum
                  glyph@mastodon.socialG This user is from outside of this forum
                  glyph@mastodon.social
                  wrote last edited by
                  #8

                  we are not even remotely close to a single LLM meaningfully constructing even a portion of the pipeline to train another LLM. you can sort of argue around the edges that maybe under certain synthetic conditions this is borderline possible now, but on the "singularity" progress bar, that is 0.5%

                  glyph@mastodon.socialG darkuncle@infosec.exchangeD 2 Replies Last reply
                  0
                  • glyph@mastodon.socialG glyph@mastodon.social

                    we are not even remotely close to a single LLM meaningfully constructing even a portion of the pipeline to train another LLM. you can sort of argue around the edges that maybe under certain synthetic conditions this is borderline possible now, but on the "singularity" progress bar, that is 0.5%

                    glyph@mastodon.socialG This user is from outside of this forum
                    glyph@mastodon.socialG This user is from outside of this forum
                    glyph@mastodon.social
                    wrote last edited by
                    #9

                    if, in order to achieve your out-of-control doomsday robot scenario, a trillion dollars worth of human effort must be expended annually, and if any of it stops for even a moment than the whole thing implodes and grinds to a halt, _you can stop worrying_ that it is "the machines" which dominate us

                    glyph@mastodon.socialG reedmideke@mastodon.socialR ced@mapstodon.spaceC 3 Replies Last reply
                    0
                    • glyph@mastodon.socialG glyph@mastodon.social

                      if, in order to achieve your out-of-control doomsday robot scenario, a trillion dollars worth of human effort must be expended annually, and if any of it stops for even a moment than the whole thing implodes and grinds to a halt, _you can stop worrying_ that it is "the machines" which dominate us

                      glyph@mastodon.socialG This user is from outside of this forum
                      glyph@mastodon.socialG This user is from outside of this forum
                      glyph@mastodon.social
                      wrote last edited by
                      #10

                      doomers might look at my rant here and think, "but wait, once it's self-sustaining, even a little, it's TOO LATE, it's already out of control!!!" and to that I say: no. not even close. look the evolution of *any* business. managing resource flows is really hard. there is an off-ramp every single day

                      glyph@mastodon.socialG miss_rodent@girlcock.clubM f4grx@chaos.socialF glennseto@mastodon.socialG 4 Replies Last reply
                      0
                      • glyph@mastodon.socialG glyph@mastodon.social

                        it is so mind-meltingly frustrating to see people think that we are close to a "singularity" with current AI technology. here's a hint about when you could worry about a disruption so big that it might, even momentarily, *appear* to be a singularity:

                        a single corporation turning a profit even once

                        theorangetheme@en.osm.townT This user is from outside of this forum
                        theorangetheme@en.osm.townT This user is from outside of this forum
                        theorangetheme@en.osm.town
                        wrote last edited by
                        #11

                        @glyph Ah yes, the Singularity: a thing that its religious adherents can't define but which will almost certainly be ushered in by chatbots that tell you to put glue on pizza.

                        Put me on Artemis III, I'm done here.

                        scott@sfba.socialS 1 Reply Last reply
                        0
                        • glyph@mastodon.socialG glyph@mastodon.social

                          the idea that a "singularity" is possible is just the idea that you can turn "mistaking a sigmoid for an exponential" into a millenarian religion

                          suetanvil@freeradical.zoneS This user is from outside of this forum
                          suetanvil@freeradical.zoneS This user is from outside of this forum
                          suetanvil@freeradical.zone
                          wrote last edited by
                          #12

                          @glyph

                          tbf, it made for some *great* science fiction in the 90s.

                          glyph@mastodon.socialG 1 Reply Last reply
                          0
                          • glyph@mastodon.socialG glyph@mastodon.social

                            doomers might look at my rant here and think, "but wait, once it's self-sustaining, even a little, it's TOO LATE, it's already out of control!!!" and to that I say: no. not even close. look the evolution of *any* business. managing resource flows is really hard. there is an off-ramp every single day

                            glyph@mastodon.socialG This user is from outside of this forum
                            glyph@mastodon.socialG This user is from outside of this forum
                            glyph@mastodon.social
                            wrote last edited by
                            #13

                            RE: https://mastodon.social/@glyph/115076275195904439

                            I've written about this before and I will probably do it again. but I don't know what else to do but repeat myself when allegedly serious, internationally-renowned academic experts and influential public intellectuals are just going out there and saying stuff that would get you laughed out of a late night freshman dorm room conversation about philosophy

                            glyph@mastodon.socialG dpnash@c.imD pkraus@berlin.socialP raphael@mastodon.sdf.orgR semanticist@mastodon.socialS 5 Replies Last reply
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                            • glyph@mastodon.socialG glyph@mastodon.social

                              RE: https://mastodon.social/@glyph/115076275195904439

                              I've written about this before and I will probably do it again. but I don't know what else to do but repeat myself when allegedly serious, internationally-renowned academic experts and influential public intellectuals are just going out there and saying stuff that would get you laughed out of a late night freshman dorm room conversation about philosophy

                              glyph@mastodon.socialG This user is from outside of this forum
                              glyph@mastodon.socialG This user is from outside of this forum
                              glyph@mastodon.social
                              wrote last edited by
                              #14

                              put ME on CNN and MSNBC, you cowards.

                              xgranade@wandering.shopX petrillic@hachyderm.ioP glyph@mastodon.socialG 3 Replies Last reply
                              0
                              • suetanvil@freeradical.zoneS suetanvil@freeradical.zone

                                @glyph

                                tbf, it made for some *great* science fiction in the 90s.

                                glyph@mastodon.socialG This user is from outside of this forum
                                glyph@mastodon.socialG This user is from outside of this forum
                                glyph@mastodon.social
                                wrote last edited by
                                #15

                                @suetanvil WHY CAN OUR GENERATION'S SUPPOSEDLY GREATEST MINDS NOT DISTINGUISH BETWEEN REALITY AND FANTASY

                                glyph@mastodon.socialG 1 Reply Last reply
                                0
                                • glyph@mastodon.socialG glyph@mastodon.social

                                  @suetanvil WHY CAN OUR GENERATION'S SUPPOSEDLY GREATEST MINDS NOT DISTINGUISH BETWEEN REALITY AND FANTASY

                                  glyph@mastodon.socialG This user is from outside of this forum
                                  glyph@mastodon.socialG This user is from outside of this forum
                                  glyph@mastodon.social
                                  wrote last edited by
                                  #16

                                  @suetanvil it's ruining my ability to appreciate the fantasy!!!

                                  suetanvil@freeradical.zoneS 1 Reply Last reply
                                  0
                                  • glyph@mastodon.socialG glyph@mastodon.social

                                    if, in order to achieve your out-of-control doomsday robot scenario, a trillion dollars worth of human effort must be expended annually, and if any of it stops for even a moment than the whole thing implodes and grinds to a halt, _you can stop worrying_ that it is "the machines" which dominate us

                                    reedmideke@mastodon.socialR This user is from outside of this forum
                                    reedmideke@mastodon.socialR This user is from outside of this forum
                                    reedmideke@mastodon.social
                                    wrote last edited by
                                    #17

                                    @glyph Maybe the real singularity was the <s>friends we made along the way</s> black hole we dumped all our cash into

                                    1 Reply Last reply
                                    0
                                    • glyph@mastodon.socialG glyph@mastodon.social

                                      put ME on CNN and MSNBC, you cowards.

                                      xgranade@wandering.shopX This user is from outside of this forum
                                      xgranade@wandering.shopX This user is from outside of this forum
                                      xgranade@wandering.shop
                                      wrote last edited by
                                      #18

                                      @glyph That would be such an incredible improvement over their current coverage *and* I would pay to see that. Both things can be true.

                                      1 Reply Last reply
                                      0
                                      • glyph@mastodon.socialG glyph@mastodon.social

                                        put ME on CNN and MSNBC, you cowards.

                                        petrillic@hachyderm.ioP This user is from outside of this forum
                                        petrillic@hachyderm.ioP This user is from outside of this forum
                                        petrillic@hachyderm.io
                                        wrote last edited by
                                        #19

                                        @glyph i would pay for that.

                                        1 Reply Last reply
                                        0
                                        • glyph@mastodon.socialG glyph@mastodon.social

                                          doomers might look at my rant here and think, "but wait, once it's self-sustaining, even a little, it's TOO LATE, it's already out of control!!!" and to that I say: no. not even close. look the evolution of *any* business. managing resource flows is really hard. there is an off-ramp every single day

                                          miss_rodent@girlcock.clubM This user is from outside of this forum
                                          miss_rodent@girlcock.clubM This user is from outside of this forum
                                          miss_rodent@girlcock.club
                                          wrote last edited by
                                          #20

                                          @glyph Ants are self-sustaining, self-reproducing, more intelligent than any AI humans have managed to make, and capable of directly altering the physical world.
                                          If 'self-sustaining' were really the break-point, humans lost well before we existed as a species.

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