Dr. Kim Solez presents "Bridging the Gap Between the Singularity and Medicine" in Dalian, China on April 27, 2014 at BIT's 7th World Congress of Industrial Biotechnology (ibio-2014). The talk discusses the Technology and Future of Medicine course at the University of Alberta http://www.singularitycourse.com see also http://www.youtube.com/user/kimsolez and http://www.edmontonjournal.com/Figuring+future+Will+ready+live+world+where+machines+smarter+than+people/9703061/story.html Copyright (c) 2014, JustMachines Inc.

1. Kim Solez, MD

2. The technological singularity occurs as artificial
intelligences surpass human beings as the smartest
and most capable life forms on the Earth.
Technological development is taken over by the
machines, who can think, act and communicate so
quickly that normal humans cannot even comprehend
what is going on. The machines enter into a "runaway
reaction" of self-improvement cycles, with each new
generation of A.I.s appearing faster and faster. From
this point onwards, technological advancement is
explosive, under the control of the machines, and
thus cannot be accurately predicted (hence the term
"Singularity"). – Ray Kurzweil

5. Course conceptualized in
March 2011, tested with
focus groups in
May for its suitability as a
course for both
undergraduate and
graduate students.

6.  Ten minute introduction
 Fifty minute lecture
 Twenty minute discussion
 In the course we talk about
machines replacing many of the
functions of human beings. This
picture was taken by a machine
without human intervention, as
were many of the best still
images from the course. The
video camera is constantly
comparing the scene to
algorithms and takes still
pictures when the requirements
of the interesting picture
algorithm are satisfied.

7. First teaching session 2011 Recent teaching session 2014
Hot-linked tables of contents in YouTube video descriptions at
http://www.youtube.com/user/kimsolez allow one
to jump right to content of interest.

9. Heather Graves, from Department
of English and Film Studies, in
Faculty of Arts.

10.  We shoot broadcast quality video of each lecture
and discussion.
 Previous lectures on YouTube.com at
/user/KimSolez . Students are asked to critique
one past lecture, and suggest improvements in
presentation and hot-linked table of contents
(20% of grade).
 Students write one 3,000 word paper (40%) and
give 20 min. presentation on same subject
(30%). Also graded on class participation (10%).
 No required reading. Suggested reading list in
course outline, readings suggested by Email.

11.  The technological Singularity. Existential
risks, AI, genomics, and nanotech.
 Ways to optimize a positive outcome for
humanity in the co-evolution of humans
and machines . The influence of these
considerations on medicine of the future.
 Dean of Science speaking, prominent
people internationally. Most lectures not
very “medical”. Easily understood.
 Balanced view provided by incorporating
both tech skeptics and tech advocates.

12.  Some already know what the technological
Singularity is, others don’t, and are finding out now.
 However, if the people and ideas presented are
genuinely new and interesting should be able to
satisfy both groups.
 The most interesting aspects have to do with the
impact on young people today.
 Considerable youth orientation in the course.
Faculty are getting younger and younger.

15.  Medical student elective participation in course.
 International peer review of YouTube videos, modifications made.
Two Quantum Biology lectures.
 Young person old person point counterpoint lecture January 30th,
Abdullah Saleh/Earle Waugh Medical Ethics in a World of
Robots(What will we allow when everything is possible).
 Collaboration with Disruptive Technologies in Medicine course in
Budapest, Hungary, the only other course somewhat like this one.
 We are constantly seeking ways to enhance the intellectual
ferment/exchange of ideas and improve the course. Your input is
welcome!

16.  Nova program on PBS Television (7 million viewers)
 Big Bang Theory (the TV show; 20 million viewers)
 Singularity Summit (9,000 views per video)
 Kim Solez – Technology and Future of Medicine Course
LABMP 590 (2,500 views per video)

17. 

18.  .
However, Marcus Hutter suggests that there is an element of
human insignificance that makes the whole scenario much
more challenging. Also, Hutter has created a model general AI
which makes the challenge seem more immediate!

19.  Outside the Singularity looking in it will be white
noise
 Inside the Singularity if everything speeds up at
the same rate we may not notice anything; it may
seem like normal life to us
 Even if initially our biological brains count for
something in our mental processes, very soon the
processing power of the machine implant will
vastly outstrip our biological brains. Our biological
brains become insignificant regardless of the
friendliness or lack thereof of the AI

20.  Extreme risk taking because we can back
ourselves up from backups if something bad
happens
 Insignificance, lack of identity. Why wait to create
backups when we have the processing power to
run several lives at once. Can replicate ourselves
endlessly in seconds! No more waiting 9 months!
 The world has little incentive to keep identities
straight when biological brains contribute so little
to mental processes. Bigger not better
 Aimlessness, lack of sense of purpose

21.  The challenge of producing a friendly AI becomes just a
small part of the much larger challenge of creating a
friendly world in which humans still have lives of
significance, human history is retained and extended
 A positive outcome is possible; let’s make it likely
 We all need to be engaged in ensuring a positive
outcome for humanity. The future is ours to shape. We
need to get busy doing that!
 A simple approach is needed to engage the general
public on these matters!
 This course is a beginning attempt at achieving that.

23.  The challenge of friendly AI becomes just a small part of
a much larger challenge of creating a friendly world in
which humans still have lives of significance, human
history is retained and extended.
 We all need to be engaged in ensuring a positive
outcome for humanity. The future is ours
to shape. We need to get busy doing that!
 Part of the imagined future could be
one where all disease was eliminated
but life was intolerable. Another where the only diseases
are from bioterrorism.

24.  All natural disease may be eliminated, leaving
only man-made diseases. But that may leave
as much for physicians to do as there is today!
 Challenging responses to bioterrorism and
stem cell technologies.
 Focus of medicine no longer disease but
enhancement, which will extend beyond the
physical to the moral and spiritual.
 Social responsibility an important aspect of
medicine and one of the focuses of the course.

25.  “It is the curse of humanity that it learns to tolerate even
the most horrible situations by habituation. Physicians
are the natural attorneys of the poor, and the social
problems should largely be solved by them.”
-Rudolf Virchow

26.  We need the mainstream public to regard the
coming Technological Singularity as fact, not
fiction.
 We need to promote organized thinking about
the future in Universities and beyond.
 We need to conceptualize ways to increase our
reach from this one course to the world at large.
 We need to think of China-specific solutions to
these problems. Where should video be?