AI Utopia or dystopia?

From curing cancer to fighting the climate crisis, artificial intelligence could herald a limitless new dawn for humanity. Alternatively, it could just decide to wipe us all out. Steve Rose asks technology experts about the best and worst-case scenarios

- Steve Rose

THE GOOD NEWS

'More intelligence will lead to better everything'

In 1999, I predicted computers would pass the Turing test [and be indistinguishable from human beings] by 2029. Stanford University found that alarming, and organised an international conference experts came from all over the world. They mostly agreed that it would happen, but not in 30 years - in 100 years. This poll has been taken every year since 1999. My guess has remained 2029, and the consensus view of AI experts is now also 2029.

Everything's going to improve. We will be able to cure cancer and heart disease, and so on, using simulated biology - and extend our lives. The average life expectancy was 30 in 1800; it was 48 in 1900; it's now pushing 80. I predict that we'll reach "longevity escape velocity" by 2029. Now, as you go forward a year, you're using up a year of your longevity, but you're actually getting back about three or four months from scientific progress. So, actually, you haven't lost a year; you've lost eight or nine months. By 2029, you'll get back that entire year from scientific progress. As we go past 2029, you'll actually get back more than a year.

Most movies about AI have an "us versus them" mentality, but that's really not the case. This is the result of our own efforts to make our infrastructure and our way of life more intelligent. It's part of human endeavour. We merge with our machines. Ultimately, they will extend who we are. Our mobile phone, for example, makes us more intelligent and able to communicate with each other. It might not be literally connected to you, but nobody leaves home without one. It's like half your brain.