Technological singularity is near.

If by 'near future' you mean somewhere around 2040 to 2050 then it is fairly likely that we will reach the singularity. It might also happen later, as long as we do not cease to exist we will at some point reach it.

As for what it will bring? Mass-unemployment across the board, in research, manufacturing, agriculture, the human worker would be obsolete. The question is, will the near infinite capacity that such independent development brings be used to benefit the developed world, whole world or only a select few.
Also, what reason would a fully autonomous AI which is superior to human intelligence in every way, with access to all production and research have to work for us or even keep us alive?

It could mean great technological advance and the dawn of a new age for humans, but it could also mean the beginning of the end of humans and the dawn of something new.

It would however be a very important (and exciting) turning point in human history and as such I would like to be alive to experience it. It's like a good story, one just wants to know what happens next.

I don't think it'll happen within my lifetime. I've worked with neural nets. The AI you see has often been programmed to look intelligent according to the task at hand. Admittedly humans are programmed too (by training) but so much more of what we do isn't specifically hard-wired.

At the moment, the AI looks a lot better than it actually is (which is naturally the case because the people who develop it want more research money so have to demonstrate something good).

We may get there eventually, though.

In the future, the AI will become smarter than us and after discovering that the human body can generate electricity, they will enslave us and hook us up to The Matrix. Humans will no longer be born, they will be grown.

The Matrix has you... Follow the white rabbit.

bring it on bitches

I think it'll happen sooner than we expect although I can't venture a timetable for it, but certainly by the 22nd century and maybe the end of this century.

I also wonder if machines can reach a stage in their development where they will have some sort of self awareness and come to the realization that they are much smarter than we are, at which point they will tell us that they are going to make the decisions and that since we invented them they will provide us with every material thing we want as compensation, but that they will run the show from now on.

Maybe they'll treat us as humans treat each other, enslave us, just like the African Americans were enslaved or the Israelites. Maybe they will put us on reservations as the Americans treated the Native Americans.

I wish I could see it but I'll be busy pushing up daisies.

It might not actually happen in my lifetime as I was born in the 1970's, but I know my kids will absolutely deal with this "brave new world". I feel sorry for them. The future looks so... fake.

I don't want robot parts in me. A chip that enhances stuff is ok, but no robotic limbs or robotic organs.
And I'm ok with smart machines. As long as they don't go HAL/ Glados on our asses. I'd hate to get in my car one day and the car says "Go walk. I'm not in the mood!" :D

Fuuucking sweet! I'd love to have a robotic arm and a freaking tail. (I'm a girl too)

X.A.N.A. has already done this. Apparently, it plans to do it again in Code Lyoko Evolution.

I am excited about some parts. I have had visions of being able to store things in my mind. Kind of like an internal hard drive for the brain or something. I have also had visions of a bionic-type of eyeball with all sorts of features like zooming capabilities and night-vision mode. Holographic overlay projection or some shit.

I don't know, I'm strange sometimes :)

I don't see how AI can be smarter than people. No more than i could be smarter than you, or perhaps I'm not. Human minds create AI. Humans can be smarter than one another is my advocation

This video got me an "A+" in my english 1 class:

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gt3lJPKYbW0" rel="nofollow">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gt3lJPKYbW0</a>

I had to do an essay and project about the singularity. Decided I'd put together a video. I always found it interesting myself. Glad you brought this up.

And to anwer your quetion, I'm not just ready...I'm ready Freddy!

I don't know to be honest. I love technology...but I also love nature. And the more technology the less nature.

It's good to advance, but I do fear that it may get out of hand. I do wish I'd be around to experience it though. Or I at least wish I could watch it happen..

I, for one, welcome our new computer overlords.
-Ken Jennings parody of Kent Brockman on Watson.

Thankfully, it can only play Jeopardy! very well, for now and help Physicians diagnose diseases.