Quotes from Vernor Vinge

Politics may come and go, but Greed goes on forever.

Within thirty years, we will have the technological means to create superhuman intelligence. Shortly after, the human era will be ended.

But if the technological Singularity can happen, it will.

When people speak of creating superhumanly intelligent beings, they are usually imagining an AI project.

I am suggesting that we recognize that in network and interface research there is something as profound (and potential wild) as Artificial Intelligence.

I argue in this paper that we are on the edge of change comparable to the rise of human life on Earth.

The physical extinction of the human race is one possibility.

Within thirty years, we will have the technological means to create superhuman intelligence.

Even the largest avalanche is triggered by small things.

I have argued above that we cannot prevent the Singularity, that its coming is an inevitable consequence of the humans natural competitiveness and the possibilities inherent in technology.

So much technology, so little talent.

Life is a green madness just now, trying to squeeze the last bit of warmth from the season.

All his life he had lived by the law. Often his job had been to stop acts of revenge....And now revenge was all that life had left for him.

But every time our ability to access information and to communicate it to others is improved, in some sense we have achieved an increase over natural intelligence.

IA is something that is proceeding very naturally, in most cases not even recognized by its developers for what it is.

If there be only hours, at least learn what there is time to learn.

Once upon a time I was such a good liar; I could talk the fish right into my mouths.

We humans have millions of years of evolutionary baggage that makes us regard competition in a deadly light.

How will the approach of the Singularity spread across the human world view?

The dilemma felt by science fiction writers will be perceived in other creative endeavors.

Another symptom of progress toward the Singularity: ideas themselves should spread ever faster, and even the most radical will quickly become commonplace.

Note that I am not proposing that AI research be ignored or less funded.

The problem is not simply that the Singularity represents the passing of humankind from center stage, but that it contradicts our most deeply held notions of being.

In fact, there was general agreement that minds can exist on nonbiological substrates and that algorithms are of central importance to the existence of minds.