I would like to share some thoughts on this topic in general in terms of AI, and Singularity.
I am a speculator and find that a right decision typically does not exist. A decision is, more like a judgement and selection of the better alternative. Most executives when making a decision will need to use more opinion than fact in top decisions, especially when high amounts of uncertainty are involved.
In many cases, outcomes do not come out as intended.
Relative, this AI singularity matter. In an effort to create a potential hedge of protection for the good of mankind, we consider the idea, "to create AI machines that are intended to be human friendly before any other AI machines are made".
This may be the last invention man will ever make...
Please consider:
These are a few of many considerations that require analysis and consideration. Determining the right questions to ask is another hard part.
This post will not even attempt to solve this problem.
I hope this adds value to the discussion, if not here, that it be directed to the best place to achieve the most value to the decision making process.
AI: A Modern Approach is by far the dominant textbook in the field. It is used in 1200 universities, and is the 25th most-cited publication in computer science. If you're going to learn AI, this is how you learn it.
Luckily, the concepts of AGI and Friendly AI get pretty good treatment in the 3rd edition, released in 2009.
The Singularity is mentioned in the first chapter on page 12. Both AGI and Friendly AI are also mentioned in the first chapter, on page 27:
Chapter 26 is about the philosophy AI, and section 26.3 is "The Ethics and Risks of Developing Artificial Intelligence." They are:
Each of those sections is one or two paragraphs long. The final risk of AI takes up 3.5 pages: (6) The Success of AI might mean the end of the human race. Here's a snippet:
Then they mention Moravec, Kurzweil, and transhumanism, before returning to a more concerned tone about AI. They cover Asimov's three laws of robotics, and then:
It's good this work is getting such mainstream coverage!