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Best in 7 days
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4.3 ★★★★★
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Product Reviews
★★★★★ 5
Excellent Look at A.I. and Other Future Technologies
Format: Kindle
This is a fascinating book. Although I bought it to get a better understanding of artificial intelligence (AI), it covers much more. The author also discusses technologies such as 3D printing and vertical farming which are undergoing accelerated development. When discussing these technologies, he cites historical examples to make his point. Although some topics are extremely technical, the author’s writing style makes these concepts easy to understand. The term “singularity” refers to the moment when human consciousness is enhanced beyond our current comprehension.
In the field of nanotechnology, the author discusses a potential increase in human intelligence through virtual neurons such that people will directly interface with the cloud. He also shows how the associated cost is rapidly decreasing. For example, one dollar now buys over 11,000 times as much computing power as it did a decade ago. An astonishing level of reduction. These metrics are then paired with graphs to give the reader a clear picture.
One interesting topic is the concept of mind uploading (aka: whole brain emulation). Computers will be able to simulate human brains in every way within the next two decades. This is followed by what it means to transfer someone’s consciousness into a computer brain. He also discusses the legal implications of a conscious AI and the inability of our political and legal systems to adapt fast enough to enshrine certain rights into law. In the future, biological brains cannot keep up with minds augmented by non-biological nanoengineering.
Equally fascinating is an analysis on how the world has become safer. There is currently less violence and greater literacy than in previous centuries. He then highlights how positive developments never make the news. We only see negative stories because they are newsworthy and entertaining.
Bottom line: This book covers multiple areas of technology and describes how they will likely change our society. It is written in a manner that is easy to understand, and it will definitely open the reader’s eyes to what is coming.
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Reviewed in the United States on October 27, 2025
★★★★★ 4
Kurzweil downplays risks because he wants to live forever
Format: Hardcover
I bought this book because I believe Kurzweil's predictions, particularly about computation acceleration, are eye-opening. However, even though The Singularity is Nearer is based on A.I. development, it devotes a lot of time to the social and biological implications of the technology, according to Kurzweil.
While I am convinced that his foresight is generally correct with regard to technological advancement, I am not persuaded that his largely rosey description of the future is correct.
Even if A.I. eventually results in certain positive outcomes, I think Kurzweil significantly underestimates the social disruption that would occur before society gets to those ideal results, if it ever does. The revolution, or its aftermath, could be so catastrophic that the disruption reaches a point of no return. In my opinion, Kurzweil underestimates possibilities like this. He seems eager to get to positive biological outcomes, particualrly in relation to nanotechnology and the aging process.
In online interviews with Kurzweil, and in this book, the thought kept coming back to me that Kurzweil's ultimate objective is to live forever. I have heard him say that he is going to extremes in attempt to live a decade or two longer so that he can benefit from advanced A.I., perhaps through digitally preserving his consciousness. These ideas reminded me of Ecclesiastes 3:11, which says that God "has put eternity into man’s heart." Even if Kurzweil's predictions about A.I., society, and even biology are correct, I don't think he will find what he is looking for. In my view, his search is ultimately about God.
A few note to lay readers: Within the first 20 pages of the book, Kurzweil inserts a sophisticated 8-page discussion on neutral networks. Don't put the book down in this section! It should have been an appendix.
Also, the last chapter is called "Dialogue with Cassandra." It's an interesting interview, but there is no preface to the conversation at the beginning of the chapter. I double-checked the introduction and the notes in the back of the book and couldn't find out more information about what I was reading or who Cassandra is. I must have missed something. Nevertheless, a quick Google search suggests that Cassandra is fictional. Perhaps this is a pop-culture reference I don't know about. Still, it's an interesting read, even if a little bizarre.
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Reviewed in the United States on August 8, 2025
★★★★★ 5
A Thought Provoking Page-turner
Format: Hardcover
To have a sense of what we can expect in the future, we have to examine the trends of the past. That is the foundation of this very readable book. Kurzweil does a thorough job of presenting historical data in graphs and tables and explaining how the trends point to what we can expect in the next quarter century. You’d think this is all technology focused, but it is much more than that. He looks at trends in violent crime (declining), health and longevity (improving), poverty (declining) and other factors and explains how social trends enhance the development of technology and in turn how technology has a positive impact on society.
This is an excellent choice for book club discussions. There’s enough detail about advancing technology to help the layperson to understand it and at the same time encourage further research. Since it a prediction of the future, one can make a argument in support of his conclusions or suggest some alternative paths. I can envision some spirited discussions.
When you think about, looking to the future is an accelerating trend in itself. The Singularity is Nearer and Kurzweil’s other books are both the catalyst and result of that trend.
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Reviewed in the United States on September 6, 2024
★★★★★ 5
AI is here and this is one of the books you should read
Format: Hardcover
If you not in tune with the changes coming to the world with the advent of AI, read this book. The front end can be a bit technical and tough to read, but the back 2/3 of the book are eye opening. A lot of change is coming over the next 5 years, most are great for the world. There will be change for all of us and those that aren’t aware and prepared could find it unsettling.
While this is a very good book, a person should be reading and listening to blogs weekly to keep up with the changes to our lives going forward. One book on the subject, while good, isn’t enough.
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Reviewed in the United States on July 30, 2025
★★★★★ 3
Good points, but too verbose and in the clouds at times.
Format: Kindle
This book has great points and analysis of trends, and a sensible outlook of what they might lead to. If you already understand the main ideas in this book, it's a good refresher and will solidify your current understanding, but may not really lead to any new "mindblowing" revelations. At times, his head is too in the clouds, and his age shows with predictions that read like bad 1960s sci-fi with things like "computorium" "gray goo" and "nanobots". While his overall points stand strong, some specific technologies he thinks will take off don't seem to have any basis or proof of concept in the real world and might be dead in the water, think "solar freakin roadways" style. He is also very full of himself, repeatedly gloating to the reader of all the "predictions" he made over the years that came true. The biggest weakness of this book is by god does he need an editor, it is way too verbose because the information is not organized well and he repeats himself A LOT. The chapters read like independent blog posts rather than a book due to how repetitive some of his points and information is. Often factoids and paragraphs are bizarrely repeated nearly verbatim pages later. But overall, it's a solid read and those uninitiated to the ideas in this book should absolutely heed their importance.
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Reviewed in the United States on January 10, 2025
