The issue of an awaiting greater-than-human artificial intelligence and the possible ramifications is being addressed in this film by Ken Gumbs. Different individuals with different backgrounds including a theologian, a philosopher, a brain builder and a cyborg, are interviewed on the subject, in the course of which a wide spectrum of topics are discussed, including trans-humanism, mind-machine mergers, uploading, and artificial super-intelligence.
De Garis admitted that humans and machines may evolve and merge in unison, avoiding this kind of sociological split. He referred to the adherents of this middle way as the ‘cyborgians,’ but this theory would ruin his alarmist non-normative SF action drama vision of the future.
While Building Gods painted the future in a gray and ambiguous light, it implicitly extols trans-humanism. At one point, a blurb on the screen noted that, “Trans-humanists advocate the ethical advancements of technology.”
The video is interesting and provocative; but for those new to these concepts, the video may come across as quite frightening. Interestingly, the issue of the Singularity casts an implied shadow all throughout the film.
