Technology can be described as the use of organized knowledge for the achievement of practical purposes. Humanity has been extremely successful in employing its cumulative cultural knowledge to create increasingly effective technology. This has not only changed the life conditions for people, but also the environment and the ability to generate new knowledge and technology. At present artificial intelligence appears poised to further amplify this process, possibly leading to a situation where knowledge is not just held in human systems but in technological systems that are able to generate technology.
This project will explore methods for delineating and evaluating future technologies, both at an abstract level and through concrete cases such as AI and WBE (whole brain emulation). The approach includes mathematical modeling and case studies of specific technologies. The primary aim is to conduct fundamental research on humanity’s long-term options, while also generating insights that may inform technology policy, research prioritization, and frameworks for risk assessment.
