The Singularity is the idea that one day in our future, computers will surpass humans in intelligence, become self aware, and potentially take over the world. And for many in Silicon Valley, the idea of the singularity isn’t just science fiction, but rather a very real idea with the power to change the world as we see it.
For others, the Singularity is a laughable concept, but former Google engineer Anthony Levandowski thinks differently. Levandowski, who is the head engineer currently entangled in the trade secrets lawsuit between Uber and Waymo, is in the middle of developing a whole religion based on Artificial Intelligence.
This religious organization is called Way of the
Future, and as reported on Wired, its purpose is to “develop and promote the realization of a Godhead based on Artifical Intelligence.” The overall goal is that if people learn to idolize a robot as a diety, they will contribute to the betterment of society.
Or, alternatively, Levandowski hopes that the inevitable robot overlords will have mercy on him and his fellow AI devotees.
While the people behind Way of the Future are staying mum concerning details of the group, The Guardian has found out that the group is filed under a non-profit religious corporation. Levandowski is currently the group’s CEO and President and is building a robot to serve as the group’s figurehead. So not only does this robot have the potential to gain followers, it can boost many different industries including that of the printed circuit boards. In fact, considering that the global printed circuit board market is projected to reach an estimated $72 billion by 2022, who knows what can happen if this robot truly becomes popular.
Way of the Future is causing a lot of different opinions in Silicon Valley. Futurist Ray Kurzweil believes that this AI opportunity means we may be able to upload copies of our brains to these machines, leading to digital immortality. But others aren’t so optimistic; Elon Musk and Stephen Hawking have been known to disagree with the growth of Artifical Intelligence. Musk was even quoted as saying at a conference in 2014 that “With artificial intelligence we are summoning the demon.”
On the other hand, Christopher Benek, a Florida pastor and the founding chair of the Christian Transhumanist Association, believes in the power of a robot diety. He says that AI can have the power to participate in Christ’s redemptive purposes, but only if it is permeated with traditional Christian values.
And how that will happen, no one knows.
