Hawking, or any body really: how about this for a possible solution to your question on how we will survive?

Question

Given the rate of global warming, the fact that the world's population is growing so quickly and that we may run out of resources or run into some other calamity before one hundred years is up, and the fact that the technology needed for prolonged survival of humans in space seems pretty far off, I thought of another possibility that I wanted to ask about.

Given the current complexity of computer based technology, artificial intelligence seems like something we might be able to achieve in a reasonable amount of time. Wouldn't a silicon-based life form that could survive in space be a better bet for the continuation of our legacy rather than our survival? Consider also the distance between galaxies and how a silicon based life form could essentially eliminate the problem of "time" in space travel because of its relative immortality and the fact that it could reproduce needed parts by gathering materials; essentially scavengering them. Your thoughts

Answer 1

True artificial intelligence is probably not going to happen for a long time. We still have a very imperfect idea of how the brain works except to say that it is probably quite different from how a computer works. But even if we ever get to a computer that passes the Turing test which is the current standard for deciding whether a program is intelligent the next question would be: Is it really alive? Would a so-called silicon life form have self awareness or consciousness or would it just be a machine going through the motions?

Of course before we try to answer that we have to decide whether we humans are more than carbon based machines going through the motions.

I think that before we replace ourselves with silicon minds we will find a way to enhance our bodies with artificial parts (think: a human brain and nervous system inside some sort of mechanical "body").

Answer 2

How do you propose to create true artificial intelligence if normal, natural intelligence is severely lacking here on earth? Common sense may not be all that common anymore!!