1993
Science fiction author and mathematician Vernor Vinge publishes the essay "The Coming Technological Singularity," in which he predicts that superhuman intelligence will be created within the next 30 years, fundamentally transforming human civilization.25 Vinge argues that technological advances, particularly in AI, will lead to an intelligence explosion—machines surpassing human intelligence—and the end of the human era as we know it. His essay is instrumental in popularizing the concept of the "technological singularity," a moment when AI would surpass human control, sparking debate in AI, ethics and futurism communities.
This prediction continues to influence discussions about the potential impacts of AI and superintelligence, particularly the existential risks and the ethical considerations of creating machines with intelligence far beyond human capability.