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Intel Predicts Humans to Merge with Machines by 2050

by Thomas Ricker on August 23, 2008 at 11:23 AM


If Intel's CTO is correct, then man and machine could merge by the year 2050. Justin Rattner said that Intel's research labs are looking at human-machine interfaces and predicts that promising changes could come sooner than expected. For example, did you know that Intel is working on small, shape-shifting robots called "catoms" -- tiny inside the pocket, a million-strong team of micro-robots could one day reassemble into an earpiece, keyboard or say, full-torso heat shield that withstands the frictions of hyperspace (ok, we made that last bit up).

During his keynote, Rattner said, "There is speculation that we may be approaching an inflection point where the rate of technology advancements is accelerating at an exponential rate, and machines could even overtake humans in their ability to reason, in the not so distant future." A date he pegs at 2050, not December 21st, 2012 as some would say. But with wireless power and 3-dimensional transistors on the horizon, well, who are we to argue? Besides, Intel has a pretty good record when it comes to predicting advances in technology, eh Gordie?

Tags: catoms, intel, justin Rattner, JustinRattner, singularity

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