2. The Coming Wave of Intelligence and Life

This examine the rapid, exponential growth of several general-purpose technologies, particularly Artificial Intelligence (AI) and synthetic biology, arguing that this convergence represents a major, world-transforming "coming wave." The author recounts key milestones in AI development, such as DeepMind's DQN algorithm learning to master Atari games and the AlphaGo system defeating a world champion at Go, highlighting how these systems demonstrated the ability to discover non-obvious, superhuman strategies. Furthermore, the text discusses how these technologies, along with others like robotics and quantum computing, possess intrinsic characteristics—including asymmetric impact, rapid development (hyper-evolution), and increasing autonomy—that make their containment and control profoundly difficult. Ultimately, the source concludes that this technological wave is inevitable due to powerful, intersecting incentives like geopolitical competition, the academic culture of open research, the pursuit of immense financial profit, and the necessity of solving global challenges.

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