Within 12 years, could we see ‘The Singularity’ — the merging of human + machine? That’s the popular meme on the streets of Silicon Valley, but Adam Cheyer calls it unlikely. And Cheyer has a deep understanding of artificial intelligence (A.I.) as the co-inventor of Apple’s Siri and, more recently, Viv, a company focused on creating an “intelligent interface to everything”. Viv recently was acquired by Samsung. Adam’s focus is a human-centered trajectory for technology.
Cheyer is part of a quiet but influential group of Silicon Valley thought leaders who simply do not believe that computers will ever become sentient — that is, having consciousness and self-awareness. Their passion is more about ‘I.A.’ (Intelligence Augmentation) than ‘A.I.’ (Artificial Intelligence), as Cheyer explained recently at the Connect to Thrive conference, sponsored by the Bay Area Regional Center for International Trade Development (CITD) and People-Centered Internet (PCI).