Brain downloads 'possible by 2050'

4273stuart · 23rd May 2005, 06:27 PM

By the middle of the 21st century it will be possible to download your brain to a supercomputer, according to a leading thinker on the future.

Ian Pearson, head of British Telecom's futurology unit, told the UK's Observer newspaper that the rapid advances in computing power would make cyber-immortality a reality within 50 years.

Pearson said the launch last week of Sony's PlayStation 3, a machine 35 times more powerful than the model it replaced, was a sign of things to come.

"The new PlayStation is one percent as powerful as the human brain," Pearson told the Observer. "It is into supercomputer status compared to 10 years ago. PlayStation 5 will probably be as powerful as the human brain."

Pearson said that brain-downloading technology would initially be the preserve of the rich, but would become more available over subsequent decades.

"If you're rich enough then by 2050 it's feasible. If you're poor you'll probably have to wait until 2075 or 2080 when it's routine," he said.

"We are very serious about it. That's how fast this technology is moving: 45 years is a hell of a long time in IT."

Pearson also predicted that it would be possible to build a fully conscious computer with superhuman levels of intelligence as early as 2020.

IBM's BlueGene computer can already perform 70.72 trillion calculations a second and Pearson said the next computing goal was to replicate consciousness.

"We're already looking at how you might structure a computer that could become conscious. Consciousness is just another sense, effectively, and that's what we're trying to design in computer."

Pearson said that computer consciousness would make feasible a whole new sphere of emotional machines, such as airplanes that are afraid of crashing.

By 2020 Pearson also predicted the creation of a "virtual world" of immersive computer-generated environments in which we will spend increasing amounts of time, socializing and doing business.

He said: "When technology gives you a life-size 3D image and the links to your nervous system allow you to shake hands, it's like being in the other person's office. It's impossible to believe that won't be the normal way of communicating."

But Pearson admitted that the consequences of advancing technologies needed to be considered carefully.

"You need a complete global debate," he said. "Whether we should be building machines as smart as people is a really big one."

Dave(crashdown) · 23rd May 2005, 06:33 PM

playstation as smart as people..... will that make us just an amusement for a really smart computer ....cosmic

*Lyndsey* · 23rd May 2005, 06:45 PM

yay!!!

i wonder if i'll get a discount what with working for BT and all?

and erm they'd go mental if they saw you refer to them as " british telecom" apparently they trying to shed that and bring themselves up to 21st century by just calling themselves BT

ArchFlameTera · 23rd May 2005, 06:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by confessions

and erm they'd go mental if they saw you refer to them as " british telecom" apparently they trying to shed that and bring themselves up to 21st century by just calling themselves BT

Well, since BT stands for British Telecom, theyre not going to get very far!

TNF · 23rd May 2005, 06:53 PM

yes i'll just let them stick a few wires in me here and there, no ta!

*Lyndsey* · 23rd May 2005, 06:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ArchFlameTera

Well, since BT stands for British Telecom, theyre not going to get very far!

yup but if you pay attention to any advertising they do nowadays they dont refer to themselves as british telecom anymore just BT.....it was just a general observation as the first poster did....they got me in trouble for calling them that before gah

ArchFlameTera · 23rd May 2005, 06:58 PM

aye, i know what you meant!

But still i think everyone alive knows they are in fact the dasdardley British Telecom!

*Lyndsey* · 23rd May 2005, 07:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ArchFlameTera

aye, i know what you meant!

But still i think everyone alive knows they are in fact the dasdardley British Telecom!

hehehe yeah theyre asking a bit much to try and erase it from human minds!!!

hey maybe thats what theyre REALY gona do with this whole brain thing malarkay!

humndislocation · 23rd May 2005, 07:07 PM

There's a problem with this. They're assuming that computers will continue to get faster, at the rate they have done in the past. That's probably not going to be the case with current technology. We're approaching the physical limits of transistor technology. Things might not speed up for a while, when we invent something like quantum computing.

Being able to upload yourself into a computer would be awesome, but it would raise some questions. Would the version you upload into the computer actually be you, or would it just be a copy? I think it'd be the latter, unless you were slowly replacing your brain cells with an artificial equivilent over time.

ArchFlameTera · 23rd May 2005, 07:10 PM

youre probably right humandislocation, i cant see them suddenly re-define the way things are done (with computing tech) over night.

And it would surely be a copy.

Dave(crashdown) · 23rd May 2005, 07:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by humndislocation

Being able to upload yourself into a computer would be awesome

ever seen TRON! awesome it'd just the same ..i'm sure

Rebelius · 23rd May 2005, 07:15 PM

i think they've found ways of using tiny silicon lasers as transistors or something.

4273stuart · 23rd May 2005, 07:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by confessions

and erm they'd go mental if they saw you refer to them as " british telecom" apparently they trying to shed that and bring themselves up to 21st century by just calling themselves BT

I didnt write it just copied it

23rd May 2005, 06:27 PM	#1 (permalink)
4273stuart old school Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Dundee Posts: 275	Brain downloads 'possible by 2050' By the middle of the 21st century it will be possible to download your brain to a supercomputer, according to a leading thinker on the future. Ian Pearson, head of British Telecom's futurology unit, told the UK's Observer newspaper that the rapid advances in computing power would make cyber-immortality a reality within 50 years. Pearson said the launch last week of Sony's PlayStation 3, a machine 35 times more powerful than the model it replaced, was a sign of things to come. "The new PlayStation is one percent as powerful as the human brain," Pearson told the Observer. "It is into supercomputer status compared to 10 years ago. PlayStation 5 will probably be as powerful as the human brain." Pearson said that brain-downloading technology would initially be the preserve of the rich, but would become more available over subsequent decades. "If you're rich enough then by 2050 it's feasible. If you're poor you'll probably have to wait until 2075 or 2080 when it's routine," he said. "We are very serious about it. That's how fast this technology is moving: 45 years is a hell of a long time in IT." Pearson also predicted that it would be possible to build a fully conscious computer with superhuman levels of intelligence as early as 2020. IBM's BlueGene computer can already perform 70.72 trillion calculations a second and Pearson said the next computing goal was to replicate consciousness. "We're already looking at how you might structure a computer that could become conscious. Consciousness is just another sense, effectively, and that's what we're trying to design in computer." Pearson said that computer consciousness would make feasible a whole new sphere of emotional machines, such as airplanes that are afraid of crashing. By 2020 Pearson also predicted the creation of a "virtual world" of immersive computer-generated environments in which we will spend increasing amounts of time, socializing and doing business. He said: "When technology gives you a life-size 3D image and the links to your nervous system allow you to shake hands, it's like being in the other person's office. It's impossible to believe that won't be the normal way of communicating." But Pearson admitted that the consequences of advancing technologies needed to be considered carefully. "You need a complete global debate," he said. "Whether we should be building machines as smart as people is a really big one."

23rd May 2005, 06:33 PM	#2 (permalink)
Dave(crashdown) Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Edzell Posts: 1,254	playstation as smart as people..... will that make us just an amusement for a really smart computer ....cosmic

23rd May 2005, 06:45 PM	#3 (permalink)
Lyndsey Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Sundee Posts: 5,285	yay!!! i wonder if i'll get a discount what with working for BT and all? and erm they'd go mental if they saw you refer to them as " british telecom" apparently they trying to shed that and bring themselves up to 21st century by just calling themselves BT

23rd May 2005, 06:53 PM	#5 (permalink)
TNF Schmako as funk! Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Bilston Posts: 1,139 Band: High School Anal	yes i'll just let them stick a few wires in me here and there, no ta!

23rd May 2005, 06:58 PM	#7 (permalink)
ArchFlameTera Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Dundonia!!!!!!!!! Posts: 4,713 Band: A Parting Shot (erratic grind madness) + Vulsellum (old school death metal)	aye, i know what you meant! But still i think everyone alive knows they are in fact the dasdardley British Telecom!

23rd May 2005, 07:07 PM	#9 (permalink)
humndislocation Hardcore is serious guys Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Dundee Posts: 6,009 Band: Blasphemous Necrorapist	There's a problem with this. They're assuming that computers will continue to get faster, at the rate they have done in the past. That's probably not going to be the case with current technology. We're approaching the physical limits of transistor technology. Things might not speed up for a while, when we invent something like quantum computing. Being able to upload yourself into a computer would be awesome, but it would raise some questions. Would the version you upload into the computer actually be you, or would it just be a copy? I think it'd be the latter, unless you were slowly replacing your brain cells with an artificial equivilent over time.

23rd May 2005, 07:10 PM	#10 (permalink)
ArchFlameTera Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Dundonia!!!!!!!!! Posts: 4,713 Band: A Parting Shot (erratic grind madness) + Vulsellum (old school death metal)	youre probably right humandislocation, i cant see them suddenly re-define the way things are done (with computing tech) over night. And it would surely be a copy.

23rd May 2005, 07:15 PM	#12 (permalink)
Rebelius Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: Edinburgh Posts: 7,220	i think they've found ways of using tiny silicon lasers as transistors or something.

23rd May 2005, 07:31 PM	#14 (permalink)
Lyndsey Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Sundee Posts: 5,285