Recently, I saw a video titled Ray Kurzweil on Why We’re Living in the Singularity | EP #261 1. It was a video of a meeting of Moonshots, a group out of MIT hosted by Pete Diamandis where they track the future of technology weekly.2
Mr. Diamandis and Ray Kurzweil co-founded the Singularity University in 2009, located on the NASA Ames campus in Silicon Valley and affiliated with MIT.
Mr. Diamandis is an American engineer, physician, and entrepreneur. He is best known as the founder and chairman of the XPRIZE FOUNDATION and the co-founder and executive chairman of Singularity University.3
Mr. Kurzweil is a computer scientist, author, entrepreneur, and futurist4 whom I had the pleasure of seeing at the University of Arizona in 2008 using a Teleportec telepresence system that projected a 3D-like image, during which he talked about the future and his visions that would lead to the Singularity.4 Mr. Kurzweil is known for many things. First, the CCD flatbed scanner and the text-to-speech synthesizer, which was famously first purchased by Stevie Wonder because it allowed the deaf to hear what is written, he also created a new generation of synthesizers that could duplicate the sounds of real instruments, and finally (for this list) he wrote many books that described and brought to the forefront the idea of the Singularity. For Kurzweil, it’s when humans join with AI.5
This video caught my eye because it does feel like we’re in the middle of profound change, but after watching it, I quickly learned that Ray Kurzweil didn’t really go for the idea that we are living in the Singularity. Confusing for sure.
I decided to look up the definition of the Singularity in the Merriam-Webster dictionary6, because I was suspicious it was more complicated than just arriving at a point where computing power explodes and good and or bad things happen. Specifically it said:
1. something that is singular: such as
a. separate unit
b. unusual or distinctive manner or behavior, peculiarity
2. the quality or state of being singular
3. a point at which the derivative of a given function of a complex variable does not exist but every neighborhood of which contains points for which the derivative does exist
4. a point or region of infinite mass density at which space and time are infinitely distorted by gravitational forces and which is held to be the final state of matter falling into a black hole
Some thing or event that is unique, there is only one. For instance, you could say your imagination is singular, nobody else has the same imagination, or that a rotating black hole is the theoretical point of infinite density at the center. I think its the infinite density that is the singularity part and Grok backed it up with : In physics (general relativity), a gravitational singularity is a location where the mathematical predictions of the theory break down. Key quantities like density, gravitational field strength, and spacetime curvature go to infinity. The laws of physics as we know them cease to make sensible predictions there—it’s not that we think there’s literally “infinite density” in reality, but that our current best theory (general relativity) fails to describe what’s happening.7. So where we can’t understand (infinite density) it is a singularity. Kind of off the initial definition, if you ask me.
Too broad for me to understand how it applied to this video, so I dug down to ‘What is the technological singularity’ and came up with the Kurzweil Library entry. The technological singularity was first defined, quoting directly, originally published in 1993 as an academic paper from the Department of Mathematical Sciences, San Diego State University, written by Vernor Vinge:“The acceleration of technological progress has been the central feature of this century. I argue in this paper that we are on the edge of change comparable to the rise of human life on Earth. The precise cause of this change is the imminent creation by technology of entities with greater than human intelligence.”8
Now, with the term more in focus, I watched the video. Turns out that Mr. Kurzweil is no longer a member of the board of Singularity University because his tenure had a time limit, so I assume he wasn’t in day-to-day contact regarding this broadcast, was a guest on the show, and hadn’t been much involved in the planning.
Anyway, his point was that the Singularity is not now, because the determination that humans would be in the Singularity is based on the assumption that technology would have been created by entities with greater-than-human intelligence, and not before this. This is called AGI (Artificial General Intelligence).
To understand where this idea of the Singularity came from, it is helpful to define Moore’s Law, Intel co-founder Gordon Moore predicted a doubling of transistors every year for the next 10 years in his original paper published in 1965. Ten years later, in 1975, Moore revised this to doubling every two years.” This is exponential growth and a description of what has been happening with technology in this area since Gordon Moore made this statement. While there is some argument that this Law has been strictly followed, specifically a noted slowing in 2010.”9 Ray Kurzweil, in his book The Age of Spiritual Machines (1999), believes the “rate of change in a wide variety of evolutionary systems (including but not limited to the growth of technologies) tends to increase exponentially.”
The first somewhat recognized Singularity is the Big Bang9. “However, this singularity is considered a breakdown of the current theoretical models, not a physically meaningful description of the universe’s origin.” Well, that is a backtrack to make a point. In addition, I have seen some consideration that there wasn’t a Big Bang. Ah, SCIENCE! Anyway…
Now back to the video. The first thing that caught my ear was the mention of AGI, artificial general intelligence. This is where AI can replicate human intelligence. which I touched on before. Mr. Kurzweil has predicted that it will be accomplished in three years (2029). From there, we get to the Singularity. Mr. Kurzweil says that the Singularity will occur in 30 years (in 2045) and that AI will accelerate beyond human control. The BIG CHANGE. I think this means that AI will be so intelligent that humans cannot understand or keep up.11
The reason this all caught my eye and then my ears was that it does feel like this is the Singularity. It would be, of course, because with exponential growth, changes are huge compared to the past, by definition. There is a lot of concern about all this. What or all that could possibly happen.
Elon Musk sums it up well. “AI will be the best or worst thing ever for humanity.”11 The best is things like curing cancer, stopping aging, increasing productivity to the point we won’t have to work to survive. The worst is the TERMINATOR scenario. If this is so, then why is he so involved in robots and AI? And why does Mr. Kurzweil seem so gung-ho to jump into all this?
Well, Elon Musk is in the game to help do it properly, and probably profit, too. “Musk said society still had time to control the impact of AI through – believe it or not – regulation.”13 I think the clue to Mr. Musk is this: AI is here and growing exponentially (i.e., very fast). I would bet no one could stop it. And do we want to? The intentions are as great as the downsides. Every company this man has is aimed at creating better things for humans on Earth and getting some off Earth to help increase the odds of not going extinct. Just from the way he works incessantly, puts it all on the line, shows me it is a passion far greater than being in the lap of luxury from now until he dies (wouldn’t that be nice?). He feels it must be done for humans to survive, and he sees many trying to get into this race just to win. Not that he doesn’t want to accumulate money, but much of it- actually, most of it is invested back to do these seemingly impossible things that become possible. Also, I think he loves it, or at least it helps his brain, which is always thinking, something most of us can’t really imagine.
Mr. Kurzweil’s overall opinion is positive. An article in the Guardian by Carol Cadwalladr 12 years ago said about Mr. Kurzweil’s predictions, “That they will be smarter than we are. Not just better at doing sums than us and knowing what the best route is to Basildon. They already do that. But that they will be able to understand what we say, learn from experience, crack jokes, tell stories, flirt. Ray Kurzweil believes that, by 2029, computers will be able to do all the things that humans do. Only better.” “But then everyone’s allowed their theories. It’s just that Kurzweil’s theories have a habit of coming true.”12
It is definitely true that things are moving very fast and will get faster. That is the real reason I think this is it, though Mr. Kurzweil warns it isn’t here yet. Yikes! It’s all happening, and it could be fantastic: eliminating disease, relieving the need for work for most of the population (futurists think there will be a universal basic income), and making groundbreaking discoveries that will enable space travel and who knows what else. Yes, there is bad potential, but it seems some are wading in to help with the path, while others just want to ‘win’ and cash in. If it’s inevitable, I think it’s wise to aim for the good stuff and hopefully eliminate the bad. That fact is not new for humans. Then, when the clue to longevity is discovered, you and I could get involved in that whole race. It’s exciting and terrifying.
Roll ahead to January 2026 and Mr. Musk is saying “I think we might have AI that is smarter than any human by the end of 2026,” he says, adding that this milestone would likely occur “no later than next year”.”The only way to do this is AI and robotics,” “the path to abundance for all,” Elon told Larry during the interview.14
Singularity alert! Believe it or not, someone predicted the ‘EVENT’ on my birthday in . It’s on a Tuesday at 2:52’52 UTC (Coordinated Universal Time). UTC is based on TAI (International Atomic Time, abbreviated from its French name, temps atomique international), which is a weighted average of hundreds of atomic clocks worldwide. UTC is within about one second of mean solar time at 0° longitude, the currently used prime meridian, and is not adjusted for daylight saving time. It is used by most countries.15 This prediction is based on some interesting math (I can’t follow it, but I understand the principles and the type of math involved). While the math is elegant and fits past data impressively, most experts expect real growth to deviate (S-curve or other dampening) rather than literally exploding.”16
Well, that would be cool.
The End
Original Essay
©J M Strasser June 2026 All Rights Reserved
Sources
1. Ray Kurzweil on Why We’re Living in the Singularity | Ep #261
2. https://.diamandis.com/podcast
3. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_Diamandis
4. Answer from Grok
Prompt used: Do you (have) a date when Ray Kurzweil spoke at a University of Arizona. I believe it was in the early to middle 2010’s.
Date Prompt used: 6/23/26
5. https://en. wikipedia.org/wiki/Ray_Kurzweil
6. https://www.merriam-webster.com/dicitonary/singularity
7. Answer from Grok
Grok Prompt used: In the definiton from Miriam Webster of the Singularity it states an example of a singularity in a rotating black hole is the theoretical point of infinite density at the center. Is the infinite density the Singularity? And why? If it’s infinite density wouldn’t other black holes have one too?
Date of Prompt: 6/23/26
8. https:newsroom. intel.com/press-kit/moores-law
9. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Initial_singularity
10. Answer from Grok Grok Prompt used: Mr. Ray Kurzweil says that the Singularity will occur in 30 years (in 2045) and that AI will accelerate beyond human control. Is ‘beyond human control’ referring to being more intelligent than humans so they can’t follow it? I don’t think he means AI will run off in their own direction, does he?”
Date of Prompt: June 23, 2026
11. https:x.com.elonmusk/status/90245215626255441193
12. https://finance.yahoo.com/news/elon-musk-worries-about-an-advanced-ai-that-eliminates-or-constrains-humanitys-growth-221316566.html
13. https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2014/feb/22/robots-google-ray-kurzweil-terminator-singularity-articifial-intelligence
14. https://aimagazine/.com/news/elon-musk-on-ai-robotics-wef-davos-2026
15. https://en.wikipedia.org.wiki/Coordinated_Universal_Time
16. Answer from Grok
Grok Prompt: I was writing a blog about the Singularity and came across a scientiest’s prediction of what date it will occur and it happens to be my birthday. I think this is interesting, and funny. The math involved is good. I think. He uses hyperbolic rather than exponential. I don’t understand it as far as how to evaluate. Is this something I should skip putting in?
Date of Prompt: June 22, 2026