By the middle of the 21st century it will be possible to download your brain to a supercomputer, according to a leading thinker on the future.
Ian Pearson, head of British Telecom's futurology unit, told the UK's Observer newspaper that the rapid advances in computing power would make cyber-immortality a reality within 50 years.
Pearson said the launch last week of Sony's PlayStation 3, a machine 35 times more powerful than the model it replaced, was a sign of things to come.
"The new PlayStation is one percent as powerful as the human brain," Pearson told the Observer. "It is into supercomputer status compared to 10 years ago. PlayStation 5 will probably be as powerful as the human brain.
"Pearson said that brain-downloading technology would initially be the preserve of the rich, but would become more available over subsequent decades.
"If you're rich enough then by 2050 it's feasible. If you're poor you'll probably have to wait until 2075 or 2080 when it's routine," he said.
"We are very serious about it. That's how fast this technology is moving: 45 years is a hell of a long time in IT.
"Pearson also predicted that it would be possible to build a fully conscious computer with superhuman levels of intelligence as early as 2020.
Ian Pearson, head of British Telecom's futurology unit, told the UK's Observer newspaper that the rapid advances in computing power would make cyber-immortality a reality within 50 years.
Pearson said the launch last week of Sony's PlayStation 3, a machine 35 times more powerful than the model it replaced, was a sign of things to come.
"The new PlayStation is one percent as powerful as the human brain," Pearson told the Observer. "It is into supercomputer status compared to 10 years ago. PlayStation 5 will probably be as powerful as the human brain.
"Pearson said that brain-downloading technology would initially be the preserve of the rich, but would become more available over subsequent decades.
"If you're rich enough then by 2050 it's feasible. If you're poor you'll probably have to wait until 2075 or 2080 when it's routine," he said.
"We are very serious about it. That's how fast this technology is moving: 45 years is a hell of a long time in IT.
"Pearson also predicted that it would be possible to build a fully conscious computer with superhuman levels of intelligence as early as 2020.
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