Kim Solez, MD
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To outline the basic plan of course and its
expectations, due dates, evaluation criteria, and
feedback mechanisms, and new features.
To begin to introduce the basic concepts of the
course including the technological singularity,
exponential change, existential risk.
To outline procedures for the potential student
presentation evenings March 13th and April 1st and
8th.
To outline expectations for 600-1000 word past
lecture critique due February 25th, the mentor and
topic selection by March 13th, and the 3,0004,000 word final paper due April 1st.
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Each 80-minute class period on Tuesdays and Thursdays will
be divided up into 60-minute lecture, and 20-minute whole
class discussion. Each student will take on a special project
of their own with guidance by the faculty and present the
results of that special project in the latter portion of the
course.
To avoid consuming regular class time with student
presentations, the presentations are mostly given in special
student presentation evenings scheduled at a time
convenient for the students and mixed with food,
entertainment, and social events. One such evening is
tentatively scheduled March 13th so students who wish can
give their presentation early.
The second and third student presentation evenings are
tentatively on April 1st and 8th, the last day of class.
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Students will be evaluated on their presentation on their
chosen project in the course (30%), a paper on that project
(40%), a critique and analysis of strengths and weaknesses of
a previous lecture in the course (20%) and class participation
(10%). The critique is due February 25th and should be 2-3
pages in length (600-1000 words).
Students should pick a mentor and final paper topic by
March 13th & inform Dr. Solez at kim.solez@ualberta.ca . The
paper is due April 1st and should be 3,000 to 4,000 words
excluding references (10-13 pages). The final paper and
presentation must be on a subject related to one of the main
themes of the course such as exponential change, the
technological Singularity, nanotechnology, genomics,
replacement of human labor by machines, existential risk,
and medical ethics of the future. Sources of images used
must be indicated.
The technological singularity occurs as artificial
intelligences surpass human beings as the smartest
and most capable life forms on the Earth.
Technological development is taken over by the
machines, who can think, act and communicate so
quickly that normal humans cannot even comprehend
what is going on. The machines enter into a "runaway
reaction" of self-improvement cycles, with each new
generation of A.I.s appearing faster and faster. From
this point onwards, technological advancement is
explosive, under the control of the machines, and
thus cannot be accurately predicted (hence the term
"Singularity"). – Ray Kurzweil
Course conceptualized in
March 2011, tested with
focus groups in
May for its suitability as a
course for both
undergraduate and
graduate students.
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Ten minute introduction
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Fifty minute lecture
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Twenty minute discussion
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In the course we talk about
machines replacing many of the
functions of human beings. This
picture was taken by a machine
without human intervention, as
were many of the best still
images from the course. The
video camera is constantly
comparing the scene to
algorithms and takes still
pictures when the requirements
of the interesting picture
algorithm are satisfied.
First teaching session 2011
Recent teaching session 2012
Hot-linked tables of contents in YouTube video descriptions allow one
to jump right to content of interest.
Heather Graves, from Department
of English and Film Studies, in
Faculty of Arts.
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CCIS is on the other
side of campus for
many of us, but it is
good exercise to go
there and one often
has excellent company
making the trip!
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We endeavor to shoot broadcast quality video of
each lecture and discussion.
Previous lectures on YouTube.com at
/user/KimSolez and /user/avoca99 . Students
are asked to critique one past lecture, and
suggest improvements in presentation and hotlinked table of contents (20% of grade).
Students write one 3,000 word paper (40%) and
give 20 min. presentation on same subject
(30%). Also graded on class participation (10%).
No required reading. Suggested reading list in
course outline, readings suggested by Email.
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The technological Singularity. Existential
risks, AI, genomics, and nanotech.
Ways to optimize a positive outcome for
humanity in the co-evolution of humans
and machines . The influence of these
considerations on medicine of the future.
Dean of Science speaking, prominent
people internationally. Most lectures not
very “medical”. Easily understood.
Balanced view provided by incorporating
both tech skeptics and tech advocates.
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5
12
27
40
40
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Student numbers more than
double every six months?
Maximum is 40 .
12-14 people seems ideal.
With more than that all
students cannot hear all
presentations, not enough
time for questions!
Registered Students
40
30
20
10
0
Fall '14
Fall
Winter '14
Winter
‘14
Fall '13
Fall
Winter '13
Winter
‘13
Fall '12
Fall
Winter '12
Winter
’12
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Some already know what the technological
Singularity is, others don’t, and are finding out now.
However, if the people and ideas I present are
genuinely new and interesting I should be able to
satisfy both groups.
The most interesting aspects have to do with the
impact on young people today.
Considerable youth orientation in the course.
Faculty are getting younger and younger.
Run like Autodesk Design Night.
 Best. Salon. Ever. March 1, 2014.
 Hosted by media professional
Dr. Julielynn Wong of Singularity U.
 Analogous to Paris Salon of a
century ago which moved Western
thought and culture forward, music,
art, good conversation, something unique,
innovative, and memorable!
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Medical student elective participation in course.
International peer review of YouTube videos, modifications made.
Two Quantum Biology lectures.
Young person old person point counterpoint lecture January 30th,
Abdullah Saleh/Earle Waugh Medical Ethics in a World of
Robots(What will we allow when everything is possible).
We are constantly seeking ways to enhance the intellectual
ferment/exchange of ideas and improve the course. Your input is
welcome!
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How Inside Outside and Singularity impact young
people, important concepts discussed in course.
Nova program on PBS Television (7 million viewers)
Big Bang Theory (the TV show; 20 million viewers)
Singularity Summit (9,000 views per video)
Kim Solez – Technology and Future of Medicine Course
LABMP 590 (1,700 views per video)
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However, Marcus Hutter suggests that there is an element of
human insignificance that makes the whole scenario much
more challenging. Also, Hutter has created a model general AI
which makes the challenge seem more immediate!
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Outside the Singularity looking in it will be white
noise
Inside the Singularity if everything speeds up at
the same rate we may not notice anything; it may
seem like normal life to us
Even if initially our biological brains count for
something in our mental processes, very soon the
processing power of the machine implant will
vastly outstrip our biological brains. Our biological
brains become insignificant regardless of the
friendliness or lack thereof of the AI
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Extreme risk taking because we can back
ourselves up from backups if something bad
happens
Insignificance, lack of identity. Why wait to create
backups when we have the processing power to
run several lives at once. Can replicate ourselves
endlessly in seconds! No more waiting 9 months!
The world has little incentive to keep identities
straight when biological brains contribute so little
to mental processes. Bigger not better
Aimlessness, lack of sense of purpose
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The challenge of producing a friendly AI becomes just a
small part of the much larger challenge of creating a
friendly world in which humans still have lives of
significance, human history is retained and extended
A positive outcome is possible; let’s make it likely
We all need to be engaged in ensuring a positive
outcome for humanity. The future is ours to shape. We
need to get busy doing that!
A simple approach is needed to engage the general
public on these matters!
This course is a beginning attempt at achieving that.
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The challenge of friendly AI becomes just a small part of
a much larger challenge of creating a friendly world in
which humans still have lives of significance, human
history is retained and extended.
We all need to be engaged in ensuring a positive
outcome for humanity. The future is ours
to shape. We need to get busy doing that!
Part of the imagined future could be
one where all disease was eliminated
but life was intolerable. Another where the only diseases
are from bioterrorism.
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All natural disease may be eliminated, leaving
only man-made diseases. But that may leave
as much for physicians to do as there is today!
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Challenging responses to bioterrorism and
stem cell technologies.
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Focus of medicine no longer disease but
enhancement, which will extend beyond the
physical to the moral.
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Social responsibility an important aspect of
medicine and one of the focuses of the course.
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“It is the curse of humanity that it learns to tolerate even
the most horrible situations by habituation. Physicians
are the natural attorneys of the poor, and the social
problems should largely be solved by them.”
-Rudolf Virchow
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It became apparent that the best way to make this
happen was for me to create a novel course of
new design. Thus, this course.
Presently, we know of no similar courses being
presented elsewhere.
Eventually it is our hope that hundreds of similar
courses will begin appearing at Universities all
over the world.
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Regulatory oversight that is completely focused
on compliance. Discourages risk-taking and
innovation.
Health care doesn't have the same financial
reward system. Facebook isn't about to pay $1
billion for the latest hot-ticket item in imaging
and informatics.
Security always trumps information sharing, and
so better, faster linkages are constrained
because of security concerns, most of which are
bogus.
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