Podcast: Discussion with Ray Kurzweil

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Neil deGrasse Tyson interviews futurist Ray Kurzweil in this repeat StarTalk episode from November 2022 titled “Could We Someday Liver Forever? With Ray Kurzweil.” It is a heavy conversation about living forever as we integrate technology even more into our lives. Throughout the conversation Neil makes reference to a book coming out in 2023. In fact, the book came out in June of this year, which is probably why the episode is available again.

Here is a description of the new book from the publisher:

In this entirely new book Ray Kurzweil brings a fresh perspective to advances toward the Singularity—assessing his 1999 prediction that AI will reach human level intelligence by 2029 and examining the exponential growth of technology—that, in the near future, will expand human intelligence a millionfold and change human life forever. Among the topics he discusses are rebuilding the world, atom by atom with devices like nanobots; radical life extension beyond the current age limit of 120; reinventing intelligence by connecting our brains to the cloud; how exponential technologies are propelling innovation forward in all industries and improving all aspects of our well-being such as declining poverty and violence; and the growth of renewable energy and 3-D printing. He also considers the potential perils of biotechnology, nanotechnology, and artificial intelligence, including such topics of current controversy as how AI will impact employment and the safety of autonomous cars, and “After Life” technology, which aims to virtually revive deceased individuals through a combination of their data and DNA.

The culmination of six decades of research on artificial intelligence, The Singularity Is Nearer is Ray Kurzweil’s crowning contribution to the story of this science and the revolution that is to come.

You will want listen to the podcast interview, and afterward you might even want to pick up the book.

Credit: Viking

Space Stories: Spaceplane Planned for ISS, AI Assists Astronomy, and Water Older Than the Sun

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Image (Credit): Artist’s rendering of the Dream Chaser DC-100 spaceplane. (Sierra Space)

Here are some recent stories of interest.

—New Atlas: “World’s First Commercial Spaceplane in Final Stages Before Debut ISS Flight“

The world’s first winged commercial spaceplane has arrived at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, its final destination before its first mission to the International Space Station (ISS) later this year. Following rigorous testing at Ohio’s Neil Armstrong Test Facility, the Dream Chaser DC-100 spaceplane named Tenacity got the green light to commence final pre-launch preparations, such as finishing its thermal protection system and payload integration, before it hitches a ride on a United Launch Alliance (ULA) Vulcan rocket to deliver 7,800 pounds (3,540 kg) of food, water and science experiments to the ISS.

—MIT Technology Review: “Astronomers are Enlisting AI to Prepare for a Data Downpour“

In deserts across Australia and South Africa, astronomers are planting forests of metallic detectors that will together scour the cosmos for radio signals. When it boots up in five years or so, the Square Kilometer Array Observatory will look for new information about the universe’s first stars and the different stages of galactic evolution.  But after syncing hundreds of thousands of dishes and antennas, astronomers will quickly face a new challenge: combing through some 300 petabytes of cosmological data a year—enough to fill a million laptops…In preparation for the information deluge, astronomers are turning to AI for assistance, optimizing algorithms to pick out patterns in large and notoriously finicky data sets. Some are now working to establish institutes dedicated to marrying the fields of computer science and astronomy—and grappling with the terms of the new partnership.

—BBC Sky at Night: “Earth’s Water is Even Older Than the Sun, Having Formed Billions of Years Ago, Say Astronomers“

How old is Earth’s water? Could it be older even than the planet itself? A team of astronomers say they’ve found the “missing link” that shows how water is delivered from gaseous star-forming regions in space to planets like Earth. The research suggests that Earth’s water is even older than the Sun. The news comes as a result of studies of a dusty planet-forming disc surrounding a star 1,300 lightyears from Earth

It Was Inevitable – NASA Names First Chief AI Officer

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David Salvagnini, currently NASA’s chief data officer, will now also hold the title of Chief Artificial Intelligence (AI) Officer. It seems to be the trend these days as AI infiltrates organizations.

With regards to the new position, NASA noted:

This appointment is in accordance with President Biden’s Executive Order on the Safe, Secure, and Trustworthy Development and Use of Artificial Intelligence. Salvagnini now is responsible for aligning the strategic vision and planning for AI usage across NASA. He serves as a champion for AI innovation, supporting the development and risk management of tools, platforms, and training.

How important is AI to the future of the space industry? I asked deepai.org/chat and got back this self-important reply:

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is playing a crucial role in the space industry, transforming various aspects of space exploration, development, and operations. Here are some key areas where AI is making a significant impact:

  • Spacecraft Operations: AI algorithms are used to monitor and control spacecraft systems, enabling autonomous decision-making and reducing the need for human intervention. This improves the efficiency and reliability of spacecraft operations.
  • Data Analysis: AI-powered data analysis tools are used to process vast amounts of data collected from space missions, such as satellite imagery, astronomical observations, and sensor data. This enables scientists to identify patterns, detect anomalies, and make more informed decisions.
  • Robotics and Automation: AI is being used to develop more advanced robotic systems for space missions, such as autonomous robots for planetary exploration and satellite maintenance. This reduces the risk of human error and increases the efficiency of operations.
  • Predictive Maintenance: AI-powered predictive maintenance tools are used to detect potential issues in spacecraft systems, enabling proactive maintenance and reducing the risk of equipment failure.
  • Space Weather Forecasting: AI models are used to predict space weather events, such as solar flares and coronal mass ejections, which can impact satellite communications and navigation systems.
  • Exoplanet Hunting: AI-powered algorithms are used to analyze data from exoplanet-hunting missions, such as NASA’s Kepler space telescope, to identify potential exoplanet candidates.
  • Astronomical Research: AI is used to analyze large datasets from astronomical observations, such as galaxy distributions, star formation rates, and dark matter detection.
  • Space Traffic Management: AI-powered systems are being developed to manage space traffic, ensuring safe and efficient operations in low-Earth orbit.
  • Cybersecurity: AI-powered cybersecurity tools are used to detect and prevent cyber threats in space systems, protecting sensitive data and ensuring mission continuity.
  • Mission Planning: AI algorithms are used to optimize mission planning, taking into account factors such as propulsion systems, communication networks, and terrain analysis.

If this is true, then Mr. Salvagnini will be a very busy man.

Martian Habitat: One More Try

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The image above is one more attempt with an AI program to create a Martian habitat. As with the images in my last post, I asked the AI image program Freepik to respond to the following request: “Realist painting, surface of Mars, rocket and habitat in the foreground, ultra detailed.”

The image generated was better than either DALL-E 2 or Microsoft’s Image Creator (DALL-E 3) in terms of a semi-realistic and clearly planned habitat on Mars. Of course, an even more likely habitat would be below the surface, but I do not want to be too picky. But like the Microsoft program, Freepik added a moon that does not exist in the real world (or the real Mars, I should say).

I tried a different request to see it this would continue to happen. My request was: “Martian colony in the year 2400.” In this case, I was more satisfied with the result. In two of the four images, Freepik provided a viable habitat and did not display a moon. One of the images is displayed below. Unfortunately, the other two still has moons.

It will be hit or miss with many of these programs. You will need to know more than the program in terms of context. We are still early in the game and it is likely the AI programs will slowly remove these make-believe elements. But until then, don’t start using these images in any official publications or you will be spending a lot of time explaining yourself.

AI Images: Habitat on Mars

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I was recently using OpenAI’s DALL-E 2 to test what it would provide if I was looking for examples of a Martian colony. I put in the following request: “Realist painting, surface of Mars, rocket and habitat in the foreground, ultra detailed.”

One of the images, shown above, clearly shows the rocket yet the habitat may be the ruins next to it. If so, this is an interesting perspective on the human endeavor. Maybe I should just assume the rocket is the habitat. Another image from DALL- E 2, shown as the next image below, is a little better with a spacecraft in the background and apparently a habitat in the foreground. Not necessarily inspirational, yet funtional.

 

After this I decided to see what Microsoft’s Image Creator (DALL-E 3) would produce. This was the opposite of the grainy, somewhat dismal images from the earlier version. As shown below, the updated program provided me with a colorful, sleek image that seemed more fantastical than real. Is that a Ferris wheel on the right of the structure? And since when did Mars have at least five moon orbiting it? At least the surface is reddish, but what is this craziness?

 

Microsoft has certainly upgraded the imagery, but what does it represent? Is it pure science fiction with little regard for the location being named. I would rather kids using AI software see the DALL-E 2 images as a starting point rather than the Microsoft Image Creator images representing nothing slightly realistic on a planet that cannot be Mars.

Maybe this is the hallucination problem cited with ChatGPT. I had not heard that the problem spread to AI imagery, but it makes sense. I will need to keep this in mind as I play with these new programs.