num_pages: 320
description:  The Fourth Age not only discusses what the rise of A.I. will mean for us it also forces readers to challenge their preconceptions. And it manages to do all this in a way that is both entertaining and engaging.  The New York TimesAs we approach a great turning point in history when technology is poised to redefine what it means to be human The Fourth Age offers fascinating insight into AI robotics and their extraordinary implications for our species.In The Fourth Age  Byron Reese makes the case that technology has reshaped humanity just three times in - 100000 years ago we harnessed fire which led to language.- 10000 years ago we developed agriculture which led to cities and warfare.- 5000 years ago we invented the wheel and writing which lead to the nation state.We are now on the doorstep of a fourth change brought about by two AI and robotics. The Fourth Age provides extraordinary background information on how we got to this point and how rather than what we should think about the topics well soon all be machine consciousness automation employment creative computers radical life extension artificial life AI ethics the future of warfare superintelligence and the implications of extreme prosperity.By asking questions like Are you a machine? and Could a computer feel anything? Reese leads you through a discussion along the cutting edge in robotics and AI and provides a framework by which we can all understand discuss and act on the issues of the Fourth Age and how theyll transform humanity.
language: English
title: The Fourth Age: Smart Robots, Conscious Computers, and the Future of Humanity
publisher: Atria Books