Tracy Sheridan has a great post about AI, citing a 1967 Richard Brautigan poem that was read aloud at the 2007 Singularity Summit on AI and the Future of Humanity. (I’m sorry I missed that!)
Brautigan’s poem which he gave away free, begins:
All Watched Over by Machines of Loving Grace
I like to think (and
the sooner the better!)
of a cybernetic meadow
where mammals and computers
live together in mutually
programming harmony
like pure water
touching clear sky.
Bonus: Another great futurist’s book on AI: Ray Kurzweil’s, “The Age of Spiritual Machines.”
B.L.,
I’m sorry you missed it, too! The Summit was an eye-opener for me, and I believe this (AI, Singularity) is going to be on the radar screen of many (and sooner than 40, 20, even 10 years from now).
If I’m successful in my own evangelism, I’ll convince you to join me at the ’08 Summit. :)
Tracy — no convincing needed. we’re on. wouldn’t want to miss the next one or others related if you hear of them.