i think they can advance computers' capabilities, but they will never create consciousness without first understanding consciousness. From my perspective--if there goal is as lofty as it is regarding achieving singularity and all that--they are going about this from the wrong angle. Perhaps it's nice to fuel the ego with the concept that you're safely ushering in the singularity, but I see it as more of a spiritual and psychological conquest. And if that's the case, you're likely on more of a path of personal learning, evolution and growth, rather than building the underpinnings of a future idiocracy.

I think all these guys have gotten ahead of themselves and are dealing with things they are the least suited to understand. This is spiritual stuff, no amount of obsessing and hiding behind your computer screen getting high on delusions of grandeur are gonna do the introspection for them, which is an absolute prerequisite to having any understanding of consciousness.

I look forward to automation though. Just know the singularity is not coming any time soon, if ever. It's funny to watch guys who are basically atheists like Ray Kurzweil with very little spiritual experience think they are playing god.

Have these people ever consciously astral projected or even tried? I mean these are people who typically doubt that stuff. However, my perspective is: if they aren't living in that world--i.e. the world of consciousness explorers, the mystical, where astral projection is possible, reading the many books by spiritual journeyman like Robert Monroe, etc--they have a major blindspot. The most they will ever do is build a computer able to pick ripe fruit or avoid hitting other cars. This is hardly consciousness. I mean as a percentage of the capabilities of consciousness, it's like .00001%. Consciousness is creating ideas. And that's maybe just one aspect of consciousness. No amount of machine learning will take the place of the higher truth of our reality system that makes such creativity possible. You will have to attain that wisdom through dedication to the spiritual path, and even then, it's likely not something you can just hand out to anyone--at least not in a way that will be effective for the recipient. You see what I'm saying? You won't unless you've pursued spirituality and had a few mystical experience of your own. ..Next: say you attain that piece of wisdom--the way the reality system works is not so you can easily just automate it. And if you can because you have now become a consciousness creator, well then, it's likely not automated through machinery, but through more biological and mental/telepathic means. Now, you either know exactly what I'm talking about or you have a bunch of doubt to cast--for what I'm saying is breaking down your own beliefs, and that's not comfortable for you--but if you do know what I'm saying, then you know the people behind this OpenAI initiative won't be able to achieve their aims. I wish them the best of luck though, and look forward to advancements in machine learning. I think they would be more productive if they understood what they were up against though. It would allow them to set more realistic goals--or perhaps set them on a path do the spiritual introspective work first.