What If AI Succeeds?

Within the time of a human generation, computer technology will be capable of producing computers with as many artificial neurons as there are neurons in the human brain. Within two human generations, intelligists (AI researchers) will have discovered how to use such massive computing capacity in brainlike ways. This situation raises the likelihood that twenty-first century global politics will be dominated by the question, Who or what is to be the dominant species on this planet? This article discusses rival political and technological scenarios about the rise of the artilect (artificial intellect, ultraintelligent machine) and launches a plea that a world conference be held on the socalled "artilect debate." Many years ago, while reading my first book on molecular biology, I realized not only that living creatures, including human beings, are biochemical machines, but also that one day, humanity would sufficiently understand the principles of life to be able to reproduce life artificially (Langton 1989) and even create a creature more intelligent than we are.