Just stop and consider the number of fascinating advances in science and technology that took place throughout the history of the evolution of man. Advances in science have helped in no mean way to develop civilization, agriculture, while major religions were founded in India and China and the West (Old Testament).But we cannot underestimate the ancient Greeks who laid the foundations of political systems now widely used in the Western world, as well as formal reasoning, ethics, the three qualities of the soul, sophisticated political theories, anatomically perfect sculptures, organized sport, and the gift that excels them all - democracy.
The next notable advance took place during the Renaissance which heralded a flowering of the arts, general knowledge, and in an unprecedented effort to spread knowledge among the lower classes we cannot fail to appreciate the invention of the printing press. Following this era, we took a quantum leap during the industrial revolution which saw the invention of steam engines, then internal combustion engines, increasing productivity in factories and cheap electricity. Einstein was born and later on the Internet age developed and continues to expand rapidly.
The way forward beyond 2016 is awe inspiring as soon there will be computers running faster than the human brain. It is unstoppable - computing power will continue to grow at a faster rate. Readers may comment that this is a blessing as man has developed his ability to program computers running at incredible speed which when harnessed can solve many practical problems. A strange comparison comes to mind; when writing his opinions in a book entitled Philosophers in Ancient Greece, Plato never anticipated that the levels of thinking would plummet to such depths; people now accept the most simplistic of statistical representations with little or no questioning and spend hours alone surfing the web on a smartphone or tablet.
Plato was particular in his dialogues with Socrates about the importance of human values and social dialogue, yet many centuries later we are threatened with the overpowering presence of a faceless Artificial Intelligence (AI) in machines and to a lesser extent the isolation of personal entertainment when using virtual reality gadgets. For a start, such headsets using virtual reality (VR) are truly mind-boggling because they combine the best of both software and powerful hardware. Inside VR headsets lie high definition monitors, movement sensors and graphics cards so powerful you can turn your head in any direction and enjoy a virtual world that gives you immense excitement manipulating objects as you please. Some say that the sensation of VR is so immersive that your brain is tricked into believing the virtual world you manipulate by moving the headset is real life. Critics say VR is still in the early stages, and it has several development cycles to go through before entering the mainstream.
But, with established companies dabbling in VR campaigns, it's already proving to be a compelling innovation especially for gamers as it will break both physical and economic barriers. It is no surprise that giants like Apple and Facebook have noticed its futuristic appeal and quietly invested millions in AI. A case in point is Facebook acquiring Oculus, for $2 billion, and Samsung and Sony are expected to release some form of virtual reality technology after engaging hundreds of developers designing virtual games and other software - educational, medical, social - to put on these platforms. This is an exciting time, and similar to when smartphones first hit the scene with mobile applications yet many agree it is potentially bigger and more exciting. Indeed, VR has potential for people who are isolated in the real world, who suffer from general social anxiety to various phobias. Incidentally such powerful exposure therapy - whether to spiders, snakes, planes could be one area where patients can benefit.
Mark Zuckerberg was ebullient when acquiring Oculus for $2 billion, "This is really a new communication platform. By feeling truly present, you can share unbounded spaces and experiences with the people in your life. Imagine sharing not just moments with your friends online, but entire experiences and adventures."
The wonders of Oculus can create many sensations such as inviting users to cross the Red Sea with Moses or take a walk across the Moon. The Oculus deal is also big news for Kickstarter: the biggest "exit" yet for a company initially funded by a crowd of backers, and a reminder of the site's potential as a springboard for innovative new ideas.
The million dollar question is: can we succeed in instilling values in the brains of such wonder boxes? Not so fast - this may take decades. However such a transitional period is not infinite. We are already aware that the influence of social media and its various devices has replaced the practice of reading by visual presentation. Although reading is an essential brain exercise, it appears that we can now relax, stop reading and indulge in visual observation; regrettably this is a passive brain activity which in the long term may induce numbness. Educators agree that reading induces depth of thought, the very process of maturity. Gradually, the use of social media is replacing the act of reading books. These are the real problems affecting society beyond 2016. Professor Hawking has predicted that the dominance of AI will get stronger, until probably we will not, in the near future (say next 25 years or so), even realize that due to our laid-back attitude the "machines have taken over". According to computer scientists, this evolution in AI is inevitable. Cyberneticist Kevin Warwick once asked, "How can you reason, how can you bargain, how can you understand how that machine is thinking when it's thinking in dimensions you can't conceive of?"
Moving on to the application of Moore's Law in terms of a well-known and highly-regarded theory of computer development, it predicts that computer speed and memory doubles every 10 years. Authors of science fiction fantasize that computers will perform tasks faster than brains, but believe machines lack the general problem-solving intelligence of humans, who over the centuries have manifested beyond any doubt that they adapt to all kinds of challenges. Simply put - in the immediate future machines assisted by AI will have the best of both worlds; the uniqueness of human brains, i.e. our attitudes, memories, and knowledge but working at speeds millions of times faster. They'll also be doing it far better, because their intelligence, therefore ability to learn, will be drastically enhanced.
Can anyone doubt that such computers solve problems better than humans? Just imagine the mind-boggling efficiency of future self-driven cars - it is predicted they will drive more safely than humans due to their clinical accuracy. Yet there is a school of thought which is more optimistic that humans will survive any future threat from the "Man versus Machine" fight. Some computer scientists believe that AI can be harnessed and be a good servant. Charlie Ortiz, who heads the software company Nuance Communication, feels that increased AI might be useful to solve current problems that human intelligence cannot fathom.
To conclude, both VR and AI are here to stay and flourish so only the future can tell if we can survive their dominance - not forgetting the dire warning by Stephen Hawking that (AI) could end the human race. On the contrary, Eric Horvitz, head of Microsoft's main research lab has dismissed fears that artificial intelligence could pose a threat to the survival of the human race. He believes that humans would not "lose control of certain kinds of intelligences", adding: "In the end we'll be able to get incredible benefits from machine intelligence in all realms of life, from science to education to economics to daily life."
The future of AI is bright and one hopes it proves to be a good servant and not an unruly master of humanity.
Mr Mangion is a partner in PKF, an audit and business advisory firm
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