Can We Call Ourself an Intelligent Form of Life?

The notion of humanity as an intelligent form of life is deeply intertwined with our ability to harness knowledge and pass it down generations. Our ancestors discovered the magic of language, which allowed for the tangible storage and propagation of knowhow. This innovation created an environment for natural selection to favor minds capable of storing vast knowledge, leading to the evolution of humans as a highly information-carrying species.

Understanding Memes and Artificial Substrates

Richard Dawkins coined the term meme to describe the units of knowledge that exist in our minds. Memes are artificial inventions or discoveries made by humans, akin to living organisms that compete for space in our brains. These memes can shape our behavior and even drive us to act against our own interests, such as engaging in suicide bombings in service of a belief.

This perspective challenges the idea of artificial intelligence as a misnomer. Intelligence, as it exists today, is fundamentally artificial and relies on the substrate of human minds to store and process information. The quest for artificial intelligence is, therefore, more accurately seen as a search for a superior artificial substrate better suited for the storage and interaction of memes.

Humanity and the AI Renaissance

Our species seems to have reached a plateau in terms of natural evolution, but the emergence of artificial intelligence is set to change this. Bright minds are now heavily involved in developing general artificial intelligence, which isn't just limited to specific tasks. This development poses a significant challenge to human intelligence, as it advances at an unprecedented pace.

Tesla’s CEO Elon Musk has offered some provocative insights on how AI might impact human intelligence within a decade. Meanwhile, gene editing technology, especially CRISPR, is rapidly advancing, potentially leading to human intelligence that surpasses the collective intelligence of historical giants like Leonardo da Vinci, Galileo Galilei, and Albert Einstein.

As our smartest individuals struggle to comprehend the full implications of this technological leap, the future is both exciting and frightening. The convergence of these technologies suggests that humanity could witness an evolution that far surpasses our current understanding of what it means to be intelligent.

The Future of Human Evolution

The integration of AI and gene editing could lead to a new form of human evolution, powered by artificial intelligence and driven by memes. This new era is one where the traditional notions of genes dictating our lifestyle will be supplanted by memes shaping our existence. It is an era of unimaginable possibilities and profound uncertainties, where the future of humanity hangs in the balance.