Blix

Anyone else following the use of social swarms to make predictions? I'm looking for additional information. Some good info here on swarms (and cool videos): link removed

I agree with Dylan -- silicon electronics will NEVER match the human brain, but… The true path to AI will NOT be pure silicon. The first real AI will emerge from what’s called a “MONKEY ROOM” - a collection of human brains (i.e. users) mediated by a computer interface to produce an entirely new entity - a collaborative consciousness that goes far beyond individual human potential.

Before you all dismiss the question that Alan asked, just remember that "the Internet" isn't just the wires that connect people up, but also the people at the end of each node, each of whom has something to contribute, in real time, to an emerging consciousness. This is the notion I was talking about above when I mentioned the Monkey Room book. Here is another fun picture from the book: Link removed by Moderator

A pretty cool answer to this question can be found in the sci-fi graphic novel, Monkey Room. It basically explores how this could happen: Advertising link removed by Moderator