Ray Hammond, The World's Leading Futurist, Scares Audience @TEDxSalford

Online, October 25, 2012 (Newswire.com) - Global futurist Ray Hammond scared and amazed the audience at TEDxSalford on Sunday October 21st 2012 when he suggested that ultra-capable computers could become humankind's successor species later this century.

Describing 21st Century humans as homo virtualis (the Virtual Ape) Hammond told the 1,500-strong audience that computers will become as capable of problem-solving as humans at some point around the middle of the century.

"After that happens it is impossible to guess what might be possible," said Hammond. "Shortly after computers become as capable as a human mind exponential technology development means they will soon become twice as capable of humans, then four times as capable, then eight times, sixteen times and so on. We futurists call this point in human development the 'Technological Singularity' because, like the singularity of a black hole in space, it is impossible to see or surmise any information from beyond that point in time."

Lots of people were worried by Ray Hammond's virtual ape vision of the future, but at the same time they were enthralled and joined the conversation with such tweets as:

#Futurist Ray Hammond at #TEDxSalford - now that's what I call a TED talk!

#Ray Hammond excellent talk. Definitely my highlight of TEDxSalford.

Ends

Ray Hammond's lecture at TEDxSalford will shortly be available for global viewing on YouTube.

Ray Hammond is represented globally for all speaking enquiries by CSA Celebrity Speakers

For more information on Ray Hammond please contact Dagmar O'Toole on +44 1628 601 462 or email her at [email protected]

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