‘Artificial Intelligence’ Has Become Meaningless

Unfortunately, this is true:

https://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2017/03/what-is-artificial-intelligence/518547/

Lawrence Summers says Bill Gates’ idea for a robot tax is “profoundly misguided”

Taxing robots is a lot more complex than it sounds:

https://qz.com/925412/lawrence-summers-says-bill-gates-idea-for-a-robot-tax-is-profoundly-misguided/

4 Ways Scientists Hope Nanobots Will Make You Healthier

That this is even mainstream is delightful to read, particularly because 30+ years ago when I first read about this, most people thought it laughable:

https://singularityhub.com/2017/03/07/4-ways-scientists-hope-nanobots-will-make-you-healthier/

IBM thinks it’s ready to turn quantum computing into an actual business

https://qz.com/924433/ibm-thinks-its-ready-to-turn-quantum-computing-into-an-actual-business/

New Study Confirms That the Future of Data Storage Is in DNA

"We showed that we can reach a density of 215 Petabytes per gram of DNA." Well now!

https://futurism.com/4-the-future-of-data-storage-is-in-the-dna-new-study-confirms/

25 Shocking Predictions about the Coming Driverless Car Era in the U.S.

I'm not entirely convinced that the transition will be all that quick for people in more rural areas, who still need transportation but don't get the advantages of population density. But otherwise, it all looks pretty likely:

http://www.futuristspeaker.com/job-opportunities/25-shocking-predictions-about-the-coming-driverless-car-era-in-the-u-s/#sthash.shqm5tff.dpuf

See How This House Was 3D Printed in Just 24 Hours

It's coming right along!

https://singularityhub.com/2017/03/05/watch-this-house-get-3d-printed-in-24-hours/

Denmark Just Ran Their Entire Country on 100% Wind Energy

Nice. Add in solar and battery packs to capture the extra, and fossil fuels can disappear:

https://futurism.com/denmark-just-ran-their-entire-country-on-100-wind-energy/

Researchers Have Found a “Reset Button” for Aging Cells

https://futurism.com/researchers-have-found-a-reset-button-for-aging-cells/

Geneticists Are Pioneering a Way to Postpone Death Using Human DNA

https://futurism.com/geneticists-are-pioneering-a-way-to-postpone-death-using-human-dna/

New Boston Dynamics Robot is Terrifying Science Fiction Brought to Life

More video of that new two-wheeled robot:

https://futurism.com/boston-dynamics-new-robot-is-terrifying-science-fiction-brought-to-life/

The 5 Jobs Robots Will Take First

Before truck driver?

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/5-jobs-robots-take-first-shelly-palmer

There's a New Prediction for the Singularity: 2047

Not that predictions can be relied upon, but when multiple people zero in on a similar date (as long as they're not just copying one another), that's a good sign:

https://www.inverse.com/article/28386-singularity-2047

Billionaire Softbank CEO Masayoshi Son plans to invest in singularity

Nice to see someone putting money specifically towards this:

http://www.kurzweilai.net/billionaire-softbank-ceo-masayoshi-son-plans-to-invest-in-the-singularity

Universal Basic Income Takes Root

Pilot programs to test the feasibility of a universal basic income:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PArYs-fdJeM

Taxing robots comes with difficulties:

https://futurism.com/taxing-robots-and-free-money-in-a-future-of-job-automation/

This Neural Probe Is So Thin, The Brain Doesn’t Know It’s There

Cyberpunk, here we come:

https://singularityhub.com/2017/02/27/this-neural-probe-is-so-thin-the-brain-doesnt-know-its-there/

An ultra-low-power artificial synapse for neural-network computing

Still uses 10,000 times more energy than a biological synapse uses, but we're getting there:

http://www.kurzweilai.net/a-breakthrough-low-power-artificial-synapse-for-neural-network-computing

Calorie Intake and Health: Major Study Reveals a New Relationship

In primates, a calorie-restricted diet may yield few benefits if you already eat healthily:

http://bigthink.com/philip-perry/want-to-live-a-long-and-healthy-life-restrict-the-number-of-calories-you-eat

How Silicon Valley Is Trying to Hack Its Way Into a Longer Life

Most not demonstrated to be effective:

http://time.com/4672962/silicon-valley-longer-life/?xid=newsletter-brief

Lab-Grown Meat Is Almost Here

When this is perfected, it could be a game-changer for vegetarians, animal rights, climate change and more:

http://bigthink.com/21st-century-spirituality/lab-grown-meat-is-almost-here

NASA Just Found A Solar System With 7 Earth-Like Planets

Three Earth sized planets in the Goldilocks zone around a star only 40 light years away. Pretty freaking exciting:

https://futurism.com/nasa-just-found-a-solar-system-with-7-earth-like-planets/

Manipulating silicon atoms to create future ultra-fast, ultra-low-power chip technology

"Imagine a hybrid silicon-molecular computer that uses one thousand times less energy or a cell phone battery that lasts weeks at a time."

http://www.kurzweilai.net/manipulating-silicon-atoms-to-create-future-ultra-fast-ultra-low-power-chip-technology

Graphene oxide supercapacitor commercial prototype targeted within 2 years

Will THIS be the promising breakthrough that actually breaks through?

http://www.nextbigfuture.com/2017/02/graphene-oxide-supercapacitor.html

You’re a completely different person at 14 and 77, the longest-running personality study ever has found

This isn't exactly an advancing technologies topic, but it relates to what may be in store for us if and when we achieve radically extended lifespans:

https://qz.com/914002/youre-a-completely-different-person-at-14-and-77-the-longest-running-personality-study-ever-has-found/

I've known this to be true for a long time, since I've kept a journal every single day of my life since I turned 13. When I go back and view my old journals, I'm struck by how different my concerns and interests were, as well as the fact that I don't remember most of what happened then even with the written reminder (and I have a pretty sharp memory).

Renewables Accounted for 90% of Europe’s New Power Last Year

Yay Europe. Now if we can get our own government and industry to stop it with the science deniers:

https://futurism.com/renewables-accounted-for-90-of-europes-new-power-last-year/

China’s Artificial-Intelligence Boom

I would REALLY rather not have China take the lead on this. At all:

https://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2017/02/china-artificial-intelligence/516615/

This One-Cent Lab-on-a-Chip Can Diagnose Cancer and Infections

https://singularityhub.com/2017/02/19/one-cent-lab-on-a-chip-can-detect-cancer-and-infections/

"Immune cell counts are often used to diagnose infectious diseases like tuberculosis and malaria, and traditionally done with a technique called flow cytometry that can cost $100,000 for the equipment alone. The penny chip performed just as well."

By sparring with AlphaGo, researchers are learning how an algorithm thinks

The advantages of inhuman confidence:

https://qz.com/897498/by-sparring-with-alphago-researchers-are-learning-how-an-algorithm-thinks/

Industrial Revolution Comparisons Aren't Comforting

Things to consider about the job losses due to technological advancements:

https://www.bloomberg.com/view/articles/2017-02-16/industrial-revolution-comparisons-aren-t-comforting

The Cute Robot That Follows You Around and Schleps All Your Stuff

I can see this being extremely useful for many applications:

https://www.wired.com/2017/02/piaggio-gita-drone/?ncid=newsltushpmgnews

We Are Closer Than Ever to Unlimited Clean Energy

A simple summary of the progress on fusion power:

https://futurism.com/fusion-energy-provides-a-clean-unlimited-source-of-power/

(But we're STILL 30 years away from having fusion power reactors...as always.)

Vivek Wadhwa: Get Ready for The Next Wave of Tech Disruptions

A great explanation of the technological upheavals that will occur over the next couple decades:

http://bigthink.com/videos/vivek-wadhwa-every-industry-will-be-disrupted

A Lander is Going to Europa to try and Find Alien Life

https://futurism.com/a-lander-is-going-to-europa-to-find-alien-life/

Elon Musk Just Made 4 Predictions About The Future Of Humanity

Just because Musk has influence on tech trends:

https://www.yahoo.com/news/elon-musk-just-made-4-223017497.html

Renewables are no longer ‘alternative.’ Fossil fuels are ‘legacy.’

But the Trumplethinskin administration has disheartened investors:

https://medium.com/@davidmbank/renewables-are-no-longer-alternative-fossil-fuels-are-legacy-cb396db8bd15#.iaa0twt0q

Up, Up And Away: Passenger-Carrying Drone To Fly In Dubai

If Amazon can deliver packages by drone...why not deliver humans to their desired destinations by drone?

http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/M/ML_DUBAI_PASSENGER_DRONE?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2017-02-13-10-45-23

Elon Musk: Humans must merge with machines or become irrelevant in AI age

Since you can't beat 'em, join 'em:

http://www.cnbc.com/2017/02/13/elon-musk-humans-merge-machines-cyborg-artificial-intelligence-robots.html

Harvard’s Remarkable New Battery Can Run For More Than a Decade

Which one of the many promising battery options will be the tipping point? This one?

https://futurism.com/4-a-new-battery-can-run-for-a-decade/

Agility Robotics Introduces Cassie, a Dynamic and Talented Robot Delivery Ostrich

A bipedal robot with excellent balance:

http://spectrum.ieee.org/automaton/robotics/industrial-robots/agility-robotics-introduces-cassie-a-dynamic-and-talented-robot-delivery-ostrich

The AI Threat Isn’t Skynet. It’s the End of the Middle Class

I guess it's good to be old:

https://www.wired.com/2017/02/ai-threat-isnt-skynet-end-middle-class/

Summary of changes we can expect to see over the next decade or so

This is an answer to a question about what America will look like after four years of Trump, but it's mainly a good summary of technological advances (and their consequences) we can expect to see over the next decade or so:

https://www.quora.com/What-will-America-look-like-after-4-years-under-Donald-Trump/answer/Stan-Hayward-1?srid=uBhZO&share=0b262dd9

Discovery of Time Crystals Could Radically Change Our Understanding of the Space-Time Continuum

More than a little mind-boggling:

http://bigthink.com/philip-perry/discovery-of-time-crystals-could-radically-change-our-understanding-of-the-space-time-continuum

Robot Cars Can Teach Themselves How to Drive in Virtual Worlds

I love that GTA V is a training environment for actual robot cars:

https://singularityhub.com/2017/02/08/robot-cars-can-teach-themselves-how-to-drive-in-virtual-worlds/

The Real Threat Is Machine Incompetence, Not Intelligence

https://motherboard.vice.com/en_us/article/the-real-threat-is-machine-incompetence-not-intelligence

Artificial Intelligence May Be Better Than a Guide Dog

This sounds like a life-changing A.I. app for blind people:

https://futurism.com/videos/artificial-intelligence-may-be-better-than-a-guide-dog

First stable semisynthetic organism created

A whole new species of life created with something OTHER than the four nucleotides found in natural DNA:

http://www.kurzweilai.net/first-stable-semisynthetic-organism-created

The 2,578 Problems With Self-Driving Cars

Just because self-driving cars get into so few accidents, it doesn't mean there aren't still a lot of problems to iron out before the cars can be considered fully autonomous:

http://spectrum.ieee.org/cars-that-think/transportation/self-driving/the-2578-problems-with-self-driving-cars

How to Choose a Personality for Your Sex Robot

I'm convinced most humans will end up preferring sexbots to humans, and the current manufacturers are adding more features to work toward that end:

https://melmagazine.com/how-to-choose-a-personality-for-your-sex-robot-39671c8a0c71#.biadjif8a

Is AI a Threat to Christianity?

Interesting:

https://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2017/02/artificial-intelligence-christianity/515463/

It reminds me of a video I once did about science and technology's impact on religion:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tBKYVwQl3RQ

Scientists simulate a new material that could be even weirder than graphene

"Get ready for one-dimensional boron chains":

http://www.sciencealert.com/scientists-simulate-a-new-1d-material-that-could-be-even-weirder-than-graphene

Vanishing point: the rise of the invisible computer

How computing will improve as the end (maybe) of Moore's Law rapidly approaches:

https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2017/jan/26/vanishing-point-rise-invisible-computer

Scientists Reveal Blueprint for How to Construct a Large Scale Quantum Computer

http://scitechdaily.com/scientists-reveal-blueprint-for-how-to-construct-a-large-scale-quantum-computer/

"This huge leap forward towards creating a universal quantum computer..."

The Surprisingly Simple Invention That Allows Robots to Make Clothes

The advantage of thinking outside the box (well, except perhaps the porn industry):

https://singularityhub.com/2017/02/03/the-surprisingly-simple-invention-that-allows-robots-to-make-clothes/

Alphabet’s Boston Dynamics is working on a robot that its founder calls “nightmare inducing”

Yeah, this is sufficiently creepy :-) :

https://qz.com/900285/alphabets-goog-boston-dynamics-handle-robot-is-nightmare-inducing-according-to-founder-marc-raibert/

Carnegie Mellon AI beats top poker pros — a first

Yet another human expertise bested by A.I.:

http://www.kurzweilai.net/carnegie-mellon-ai-beats-top-poker-pros-a-first

The big change here is the ability to deal with uncertainty. The ability to bluff.

"This is the last frontier, at least in the foreseeable horizon, in game-solving in AI."

New Research Shows the Universe May Have Once Been a Hologram...

...But Isn't Now.

A different take from the previous article:

https://futurism.com/new-research-shows-the-universe-may-have-once-been-a-hologram/

The entire universe could be a hologram

This is way too light on details (how would such a hologram occur, how can we perceive depth through multiple senses, not to mention motion, etc.?), but the idea has always been fascinating:

http://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/sciencefair/2017/01/30/universe-hologram-illusion/97249856/

Apple joins Amazon, Facebook, Google, IBM and Microsoft in AI initiative

This could give A.I. development a huge boost:

https://futurism.com/apple-joins-amazon-facebook-google-ibm-and-microsoft-in-ai-initiative/

We May Finally Have a Way of Mass Producing Graphene

https://futurism.com/we-may-finally-have-a-way-of-mass-producing-graphene/

Young Blood Offered as Anti-Aging Therapy — But Is It Ready?

Let the trials begin!:

https://singularityhub.com/2017/01/29/young-blood-offered-as-anti-aging-therapy-but-is-it-ready/

Finally, a respectable reason to lure young children to your van down by the river ;-)

New York Greenlights Massive 90-Megawatt Wind Farm Off Long Island

http://www.digitaltrends.com/cool-tech/south-fork-wind-farm/

Elon Musk: We Will Have “Full Self-Driving Capabilities” in 3 to 6 Months

May only refer to Level 4 autonomy (all safety-critical actions fully autonomous), but maybe more:

https://futurism.com/elon-musk-we-will-have-full-self-driving-capabilities-in-3-to-6-months/

Hyperloop is Coming to Europe, Officially Picks City

With the vulnerability to earthquakes and terrorism, I'm not sure this is a great idea...but I'm glad someone is trying:

https://futurism.com/hyperloop-is-coming-to-europe-officially-picks-city/

This Amazing Video Shows Just How Much Software Has Eaten the World

I think they subtly included pornhub.com replacing lovers. ;-)

https://singularityhub.com/2017/01/24/this-amazing-video-shows-just-how-much-software-has-eaten-the-world

Solar, battery demand set to surge as energy prices soar, survey finds

With all the sunshine Australia gets, this should be a no-brainer:

http://www.smh.com.au/business/consumer-affairs/solar-battery-demand-set-to-surge-as-energy-prices-soar-survey-finds-20170122-gtwl1b.html

Energy storage batteries face biggest test in California

Batteries are the laggard in the alternative energies equation, so this is a start:

http://www.greencarreports.com/news/1108469_energy-storage-batteries-face-biggest-test-in-california

Becoming Immortal: The Future of Brain Augmentation and Uploaded Consciousness

A nice thought experiment:

https://futurism.com/becoming-immortal-the-future-of-brain-augmentation-and-uploaded-consciousness/

Murderous Mickey: 'Zombie' Mice Triggered with Predatory Gene

So the zombie apocalypse is real!!

http://www.livescience.com/57528-kill-instinct-switched-on-zombie-mice.html

Great potential for a novel there....

AI Software Learns to Make AI Software

Singularity, here we come!

https://www.technologyreview.com/s/603381/ai-software-learns-to-make-ai-software/

A New Device Could Make Memory Implants a Reality

Cyberpunk, here we come:

https://futurism.com/a-new-device-could-make-memory-implants-a-reality/

Stem Cells Are Poised to Change Health and Medicine Forever

You can get young blood transfusions for participating in a study...though it will cost you $8K and trips to Monterey, CA:

https://singularityhub.com/2017/01/17/stem-cells-are-poised-to-change-health-and-medicine-forever/

Airbus Plans to Make Autonomous, Flying Cars a Reality by 2017

Only 50 years late!

https://futurism.com/airbus-plans-to-make-autonomous-flying-cars-a-reality-by-2017/

Yale Neuroscientists Can Now Determine Human Intelligence Through Brain Scans

http://bigthink.com/philip-perry/yale-neuroscientists-can-now-determine-human-intelligence-through-brain-scans

Solar prepares to dislodge coal as the cheapest source of energy

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2017/01/05/1617336/-Solar-prepares-to-dislodge-coal-as-the-cheapest-source-of-energy

Cellular Reprogramming Rejuvenates Old Mice and Boosts Lifespans 30%

https://singularityhub.com/2017/01/13/cellular-reprogramming-rejuvenates-old-mice-and-boosts-lifespans-30/

Scientists Turn Back The Clock On Aging

A promising stopgap until full nanotech arrives:

http://www.forbes.com/sites/jonmarkman/2017/01/12/scientists-turn-back-the-clock-on-aging/#2c64fb894153

Harvard Researchers Have Found the Source of Human Consciousness

http://bigthink.com/philip-perry/harvard-researchers-have-found-the-source-of-human-consciousness

And here I thought it was Nabisco....

Forget A.I. ‘Remote Intelligence’ Will Be Much More Disruptive

I think this guy lacks vision. By the time robots are cheap enough to clean hotel rooms properly, their A.I. will surely be good enough to perform at least as well as human cleaners:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/telerobotics_us_5873bb48e4b02b5f858a1579

Forget Fillings: New Study Shows How to Regrow Teeth

I could SO use this:

https://singularityhub.com/2017/01/11/forget-fillings-new-study-shows-how-to-regrow-teeth

Would You Eat Synthetic, Lab-Grown Meat?

Getting the texture of muscle isn't easy, but this is the future of meat:

https://futurism.com/videos/would-you-eat-synthetic-lab-grown-meat

MIT researchers design one of the strongest, lightest materials known

"10 times as strong as steel but much lighter":

http://www.kurzweilai.net/mit-researchers-design-one-of-the-strongest-lightest-materials-known

The World’s First Instant Language Translator Is Almost Here

Pretty much as SF as it gets:

https://futurism.com/sciencenonfiction/instanttranslation

A Novel Liquid Battery Could Hold Potential For Unlimited Energy Storage

With so many options in the works, one of them is bound to pay off soon:

http://www.wbur.org/bostonomix/2017/01/09/vanadium-liquid-energy-storage

The Navy’s New Robot Boats Swarm the Enemy on Their Own

I can see a nice nightmare Terminator scenario here:

https://www.wired.com/2017/01/navys-new-robot-boats-swarm-enemy/

Alphabet’s Waymo Said to Expand Self-Driving Chrysler Fleet

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2017-01-08/alphabet-s-waymo-said-to-expand-self-driving-chrysler-van-fleet

Infinite Solar Power Technology Could Completely Change Our Future

https://futurism.com/infinite-solar-power-technology-could-completely-change-our-future/

Franka: A Robot Arm That’s Safe, Low Cost, and Can Replicate Itself

Self-replication, even on the macro scale, is a powerful ability:

http://spectrum.ieee.org/robotics/industrial-robots/franka-a-robot-arm-thats-safe-low-cost-and-can-replicate-itself

Taking a ride in Nvidia’s self-driving car

http://arstechnica.com/cars/2017/01/nvidia-audi-bb8-self-driving-car/

Google’s AlphaGo AI secretively won more than 50 straight games against the world’s top Go players

Humans don't stand a chance:

https://qz.com/877721/the-ai-master-bested-the-worlds-top-go-players-and-then-revealed-itself-as-googles-alphago-in-disguise/

Faraday Future finally fills us in on the 1,050-horsepower FF 91

Electric cars have come a long way:

https://www.cnet.com/roadshow/news/faraday-future-ff91-at-ces-2017/

New AI To Take On World’s Best Poker Players

Next domino to fall:

https://futurism.com/the-ai-taking-on-worlds-best-poker-players-could-grow-up-to-battle-cancer/

Expert Claims Automakers “Not Even Close” To Fully Autonomous Cars

Way too pessimistic, I think:

https://futurism.com/expert-claims-automakers-not-even-close-to-fully-autonomous-cars/

China Makes Major Investment In Renewable Power Generation

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/china-renewable-power_us_586e114de4b0c8575a77453d

We Survive Because Reality May Be Nothing Like We Think It Is

Just to keep us humble...

http://bigthink.com/robby-berman/we-survive-because-reality-may-be-nothing-like-we-think-it-is

How to form the world’s smallest self-assembling nanowires — just 3 atoms wide

http://www.kurzweilai.net/how-to-form-the-worlds-smallest-self-assembling-nanowires-just-3-atoms-wide

Is Virtual Reality the Surprising Solution to the Fermi Paradox?

https://singularityhub.com/2017/01/01/is-virtual-reality-the-surprising-solution-to-the-fermi-paradox/

Controlling CRISPR: Researchers May Have Found An “Off-Switch” for Gene-Editing

A potential way to use CRISPR on humans while still keeping things safe:

https://futurism.com/controlling-crispr-researchers-may-have-found-an-off-switch-for-gene-editing/

The Technologies We’re Most Fired Up to Watch in 2017

https://singularityhub.com/2017/01/02/the-technologies-were-most-fired-up-to-watch-in-2017/

Solar now cheapest new form of energy in nearly 60 countries

Look at the chart comparing wind and solar prices over time:

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2017/1/1/1615247/-Solar-now-cheapest-new-form-of-energy-in-nearly-60-countries

7 of Our Most Viral Hits on Tech and the Future in 2016

There are some nice, juicy articles here:

https://singularityhub.com/2016/12/31/7-of-our-most-viral-hits-on-tech-and-the-future-in-2016

One chart that stands out: