You Must Read This Article

If you only read one piece this year on technology and what it is, where it's going and where it may or may not go and take us, you should read this.

Will Democracy Survive Big Data 

and Artificial Intelligence

It has far, far more in it than I could ever describe here.

It is both fascinating and alarming, at once.

Governments will no way be able to keep up with technology. Heck, they're already far, far behind. 

I would like--heck, I want--every member of our national, US Congress to read this, let alone our state legislators and office holders.

All the things called for in the article would have to be done by government, of course. It would have to be done by far-seeing, responsible legislators.

I don't see it happening.

I'd love to be wrong.

God help us all.

Links:

Elon Musk issues a stark warning about A.I.

Elon Musk's Billion-Dollar Crusade

 to Stop the A.I. Apocalypse

Elon Musk Says AI Is a Greater Threat Than North Korea

Elon Musk Warns: Regulators Must Be Proactive On AI

Stephen Hawking warns artificial intelligence 

could end mankind

Bill Gates is worried about artificial intelligence too

Stephen Hawking, Elon Musk, and Bill Gates 

Warn About Artificial Intelligence

Technology Today - Incredible

You should see this technology, this new robot from Boston Dynamics. Forget walking, the thing can jump. It can and does jump stairs, if it so wishes.

Boston Dynamics' Newest Robot Moves Like a Donkey on Rollerblades

This is, at once, fascinating and beautiful and wondrous and terrifying. Humankind will clearly rush, headlong into AI, artificial intelligence, in spite of the best, brightest minds of our time, warning us.

Stephen Hawking, Elon Musk, and 

Bill Gates Warn About Artificial Intelligence

Stephen Hawking warns artificial 

intelligence could end mankind 

Whither next?

I don't think anyone can say.

Where Is All This Technology Taking Us?

Occasionally, once in a great while, I get out of "my bubble", or am forced to, and look around at the technology and apps that are available, some for home computing but most, more and more, for our cell phones.

I tell you, it's overwhelming.

It's been fun for a while. If you realize you don't just have a TV in your pocket but a full-blown computer that can do who-knows-what-all, it's been fun. It is fun. It can be fun, anyway.

But every once in a while, I realize, how much there is out there, how much computer power is in our pockets and how dizzying it all is. It seems there are apps for so much more of the minutiae of our lives than I would think anyone could or would ever imagine.

I understand why these apps have been created, too, sure. Everyone has to "make their mark" and no less so than in computing but wow. Clearly we humans are taking all these apps and our phones way too far. In my eyes, anyway.

I think it's scary and getting scarier.

Americans Spend An Alarming 4.7 Hours 

On Their Phones

And the trend of time spent on cell phones is still increasing and the younger we are, the more it's increasing.

Yeah.  This is not your grandfather's world, that's for sure. Between these developments and humankind's rush into AI, artificial intelligence, I don't like the looks of where we're heading, as a species, as a people. I think we are, it seems, all running headlong, forward and we don't have any idea where we're going, where this is all leading us.

Y'all be nice out there.

Links:

Stephen Hawking warns of an 'intelligence explosion'

Stephen Hawking warns artificial intelligence could end mankind

Stephen Hawking, Elon Musk, and Bill Gates Warn

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