VOICE: The Glenn Beck program presents Spotlight on Science.
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GLENN: Have you seen the breaking news on Drudge? I'm just looking at the science update. Here's the breaking news on Drudge: White House performance czar has withdrawn her candidacy in a new tax mess. We'll get to that here in a second, and your phone call. The number is 888-727-BECK.
Google and NASA are throwing their weight behind a new school for futurists in Silicon Valley to prepare scientists for an era when machines are more clever than people. This is something that over a year ago with Ray Kurzweil we spoke about on this program, and again I said this is great stuff, but let's think this one through. Are we the people that can handle that kind of stuff? I mean, I'm not a scientist. I've got somebody -- I've got a Bible on my bedstand, and I read it from time to time. So what do I know about scientists? I don't believe in dinosaurs.
I've always thought that creating computers that are smarter than us -- maybe it's just me -- not really a good idea. You know what I mean? I mean, if they figured a way, you know, figured out a way around the whole control/alt/delete thing, you think maybe they would be like, you're not going to shut me down; I'm smarter than you, clown. The new institution known as Singularity University is to be headed by Ray Kurzweil whose predictions about the exponential pace of technological change have made him a controversial figure in technological circles, NASA's backing demonstrates the growing mainstream acceptance of Mr. Kurzweil's views which include a claim that before the middle of the century artificial intelligence will outstrip human beings, you are ushering in a new era of civilization. By the way, Ray Kurzweil, I have watched this man for a very long time. Took me 10 years to finally get an interview with I am had. I finally got one. Within the last 12 months he told me by 2050 there will be no death. I thought that was pretty good until I realized what he meant by that is you'll just download your personality into a computer, so you'll live forever. Okay, Ray, thanks. That sounds a little spooky.
I mean, I like him and everything, but if we really want to speed this technology up -- I'm sorry, that was just common sense Glenn speaking there for a second. I'm probably getting closer to my Bible. Wasn't thinking of all the benefits of having artificial technology that could kill all of us. We'll save 40% of our energy bills. The Singularity University will offer courses in biotechnology, nanotechnology and artificial intelligence. The so-called singularity is a theorized period of rapid technological process in the near future. We are close to the singularity, gang, and that's when the black hole eats us.
Proponents say that during the singularity machines will be able to improve themselves using artificial intelligence and that smarter than human computers will solve problems including energy, climate change, hanger. I'll tell you how area they going to solve hunger. They're going to kill us all! I'm sorry, I'm sorry again. That was just me and my Bible. Nothing wrong with computers that can fix themselves and solve the world hunger. That's a good thing.
School is backed by Larry Page, Google co-founder. Not only Google, wasn't he just in meetings with the president recently? I love this connection with the government and stuff. Peter Diamandis, chief executive of XPRIZE, an organization which provides grants to support technological change. "We're anchoring the university in what is in the lab today with an understanding of what's in the realm of possibility in tomorrow. The day before something is truly a breakthrough, it's a crazy idea." By the way, this is from the vice chancellor.
Again, I'm not a scientist but I think we should stop with the computer czar. That's a bad thing. And chancellor? Wasn't Hitler a chancellor? Wasn't the bad guy in "Star Wars," isn't he a chancellor? I mean, he was the evil emperor and nobody saw that coming but, you know, don't listen to me. I'm just somebody who's polishing up my gun later on tonight.
VOICE: You've been listening to Spotlight on Science, exclusively heard on the Glenn Beck program, America's number one source for science and science-related items.