I favor a multi-agent solution which includes both human and machine agents. But, yes, a multi-machine solution may well differ from a unified artificial rational agent. For one thing, the composite will not be itself a rational agent (it may split its charitable contributions between two different charities, for example. :)
ETA: More to the point, a singleton must self-modify to 'grow' in power and intelligence, and will strive to preserve its utility function (values) in the course of doing so. A coalition, on the other hand, grows in power by creating or enlisting new members. So, for example, rogue AI's can be incorporated into a coalition, whereas a singleton will have to defeat and destroy them. Furthermore, the political balance within a coalition may shift over time, as agents who are willing to delay gratification gain in power, and agents who demand instant gratification lose relative power. And as the political balance shifts, so does the effective composite utility function.
...More to the point, a singleton must self-modify to 'grow' in power and intelligence, and will strive to preserve its utility function (values) in the course of doing so. A coalition, on the other hand, grows in power by creating or enlisting new members. So, for example, rogue AI's can be incorporated into a coalition, whereas a singleton will have to defeat and destroy them. Furthermore, the political balance within a coalition may shift over time, as agents who are willing to delay gratification gain in power, and agents who demand instant gratification
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!