[extropy-chat] A job for me?

[Adrian Tymes]

--- kevinfreels at hotmail.com wrote:
> It only stands to reason that when solid
> verification software and text reading software come
> online that are capable of handling these duties,
> the job of brokering, and even underwriting will be
> left to computers. This can be handled without any
> AI. It will only take some very complicated
> software. Software that could probably be built
> right now if someone wanted to invest millions in
> development costs.

Such is the cycle of much that is AI at one point:

First it is impossible.
Then it is AI.
Then it is in the lab.
Then it is deployable, but expensive.
Then it is usable and cheap.
Then it is free and ubiquitous.

When the ability to translate from rough natural
language descriptions to running code becomes free
and ubiquitous, we will have passed our current
Singularity - but perhaps be able to envision a new
one from there.

> I have decided that I need to find a new career and
> go back to school. The only problem is, what should
> I do?

> A couple of things I find
> fascinating are evolutionary biology and
> anthropology.

> Nanotechnology seems very interesting, but the
> background needed eludes me. Same with biotech. 

Evolutionary biotech, perhaps?  That is, focus on how
(and if) we can use various naturally fast and/or
artificially accelerated evolutionary processes for,
say, rapid drug discovery, or an in-vivo analog to
computer science's genetic algorithms.

Just an idea, if you're looking for something to latch
on to.  As others have said, just getting back into
college itself is something to pursue - but having at
least a general major can help make your plans more
concrete.  Maybe pick a few ideas, get a college
course catalog, and see what all you'd have to take to
pursue each of the ideas, so you can start to gel on a
path that looks attractive - but definitely keep
yourself open to new possibilities and inspirations
after you've started, in case what you start out to do
turns out to be less desirable than some other path
you haven't heard of yet.  (E.g.: if you're going for
a Bachelor's in evo. biotech, the Bio department -
Biology, or Biological Engineering if they have it -
will probably tell you what background you need, in
the form of which classes you should take first.)