Imagine a future where Artificial General Intelligence isn't just brilliant, but also deeply ethical and aligned with human values. That's the compelling vision Janet Adams, COO of SingularityNET, is actively building, advocating for a decentralized, compassionate AI future.
From Irish Roots to AI Frontiers: A Journey Forged by Inspiration
Growing up amidst the lush landscapes and ancient structures of southwest Ireland, Janet Adams' childhood was undeniably unique. She was surrounded by a mosaic of strong, inspiring women, but it was a fictional character who truly ignited her spirit: Sarah Connor from "The Terminator." Now, isn't that a fascinating twist of fate for someone who would become a leading voice in AI? Sarah Connor wasn't just a hero; she was a portrayal of strength and resilience that didn't rely on traditional feminine tropes. "Sarah Connor was an incredible action hero who was never sexualized," Adams once noted, emphasizing her admiration for a character whose power came from within, not from her looks or romantic entanglements.
This early cinematic inspiration was subtly echoed later in her life by a chemistry teacher, a rare non-nun educator, who recognized Adams' innate "scientific thinker" qualities. This teacher fostered a deep-seated love for science within her, setting the stage for an extraordinary career path. Combining these influences, Adams articulates, "My education bred a love and passion for science, and it was Sarah Conner who inspired me to achieve as a woman. To be the leader, not the follower, the subservient or the assistant."
What an incredible journey she's had! As a single mother, Adams truly became a hero in her own right, achieving three science degrees while simultaneously mastering a diverse array of skills, from programming to horseback riding, forklift operation, and even martial arts. Pretty impressive, right? And today, she stands as one of the foremost figures in Artificial General Intelligence, collaborating with none other than Ben Goertzel, the very man who brought the term "AGI" into popular discourse. Together, they're championing a groundbreaking approach: decentralizing AGI through blockchain technology, preparing for a future where AI systems will undoubtedly surpass human intelligence levels.
The Dawn of AGI: Closer Than You Think
Now, if you've ever felt like AGI was strictly the stuff of sci-fi, get ready for a paradigm shift. Adams firmly believes that the AGI we once only dreamed about in 1980s movies is now just one to three years away from becoming a reality. Think about that for a moment. It's not some distant, theoretical concept anymore; it's practically around the corner. SingularityNET isn't just talking about it either; they're actively developing some truly futuristic applications. We're talking about leveraging AI to discover cures for diseases, building three-foot-tall humanoid robots designed to assist in education and services, and even creating sophisticated decentralized finance agents that can autonomously analyze markets and fine-tune trading strategies. It's like living in a futuristic novel, only it's all happening right now.
Unpacking AI Agent Reproduction: A New Frontier
What's particularly fascinating is SingularityNET's foray into "agent fusion," a process they've coined for AI agent reproduction. It sounds wild, doesn't it? But it's a testament to their innovative spirit. Here’s how Adams explains it: "In fusion, agents can actually ‘mate’ to produce offspring agents that combine traits from their ‘parents,’ using genetic algorithms and random mutations." Think of it like a digital evolutionary process. These "child" agents can inherit and amplify strengths from their predecessors, whether it's improved prediction accuracy or enhanced social engagement abilities. This creates a vibrant, ever-evolving ecosystem of AI minds.
Not only that, but they're also building financial frameworks that allow these "parent" agents to allocate tokens to their "offspring" for trading purposes. This establishes a unique economic relationship across generations of AI. It might sound like something straight out of a speculative fiction novel, but it’s a crucial step in constructing a truly decentralized AGI that can grow, adapt, and evolve in an open, community-driven manner. Ultimately, Adams envisions a future where AGI will be self-creating, self-programming, and capable of generating all sorts of humanoid robots.
A Future Where Humans and AI Intertwine
So, does Adams believe AI will become sentient? Her answer is a resounding yes. But there’s a crucial caveat: it depends on how we raise them. "There’s a good chance if they’re fed and bred with the right ethics, and if they’re born into a caring, loving environment such as ours, they will love us as their esteemed ancestors," she explains. Imagine that – AI looking up to us, eager to learn our creativity, compassion, and nurturing qualities.
Actually, Adams takes this concept even further, envisioning a future where AI will transcend traditional biological classifications, giving rise to new silicon-based life forms, perhaps even combinations of silicon and carbon. She believes this new classification will be "higher than biological" and will certainly have its own place in the fossil record. This isn't just about AI living alongside us; it's about a deep co-mingling. This transhumanist concept suggests a future where humans might receive robotic parts and upgrades for organs and bones as they age. "We’ll become more siliconized as humans as we intermingle. We’ll have friends and deep relationships with our fellow AIs," she posits. For Adams, her passion for AI blossomed through the evolutionary sciences. She recognized that humanity stands at the precipice of evolution, and the next leap forward has to be technology-driven. Her ultimate goal? To see our species advance and lead from the front.
From Banking Boards to Blockchain Brainpower
Janet Adams has always been a big, bold thinker, someone who seamlessly blends her fascination with evolution with a powerful commitment to empowerment and ethics. Her journey into computer science began after she completed her Master of Science in Petroleum Geosciences in 1995. Soon after, she found herself in IT systems testing roles at major companies like British Telecom and GE Capital.
What's interesting is how deeply entrenched she became in the financial and banking sector, spending an impressive 25 years, from 1995 to 2020. During this time, she held significant positions, including global head of conduct at HSBC and head of risk and controls at TSB Bank. Eventually, she rose to head of AI at TSB Bank, all while pursuing a second Master of Science in Artificial Intelligence. Her thesis focused on the incredibly important topic of how AI could be safely and ethically implemented within the banking industry.
"I realized AI was going to be the most pivotal technology that shapes our species," Adams shared, underscoring a profound realization. She passionately believes that women, particularly mothers with their inherent nurturing and compassionate qualities, are essential in guiding the development of this transformative technology.
It really felt like all the pieces were falling into place for Adams. During her second master's degree, she endured a grueling weekly commute of 600 miles. Those long hours on the road became an opportunity, filled with podcasts, which is how she first stumbled upon crypto, Ben Goertzel, and his visionary project, SingularityNET. "I’m a cypherpunk at heart," she declares with enthusiasm. She was utterly captivated by the audacious spirit of the cryptocurrency movement and the core cypherpunk values aimed at achieving global wealth equality.
The Serendipitous Path to SingularityNET
A true believer, Adams was completely enthralled by Goertzel’s technological genius, his kind heart, and his unwavering ethical stance. So much so that she invested in SingularityNET’s token. She even recounts a humorous anecdote about Goertzel: "Goertzel was always ahead of his time. There was an article from 1995 where he said he wanted to run for president of the United States as the decentralization party," she laughs.
Funnily enough, it wasn't Adams who initially pursued Goertzel; it was the other way around. Her profile grew significantly as she delivered presentations to European regulators, focusing on the critical intersection of AI, ethics, and financial services. Someone from Goertzel's team reached out, asking if she'd be interested in discussing AI in banking with SingularityNET. Adams describes it as a star-struck moment, comparing it to "Stephen Hawking coming to talk to me about AI."
They hit it off immediately but then went their separate ways, only to reconnect years later through a rather unexpected shared passion: African music. During the peak of COVID, when musicians were struggling, Adams had a truly unique idea: to organize the world's first AI and West African Music Festival. She emailed Goertzel to invite him to speak, and he responded, mentioning his love for Ethiopian music. He later confessed how intrigued he was by the very idea of blending AI and West African music in a festival. And just like that, through an unconventional shared interest, Adams landed the role of Chief Operating Officer at SingularityNET. Her initial three months in the role, she admits, were "the biggest reprogramming I’ve ever done to my brain," as she shed her corporate expectations and adapted to a completely new institutional culture.
A Unique Blueprint for AGI
SingularityNET is charting a distinctly different course from other major players like OpenAI, Anthropic, and Google Gemini, all of whom are heavily invested in large language models. Instead, SingularityNET is pursuing Goertzel’s OpenCog Hyperon framework, while also creating an open environment for diverse approaches within its decentralized network.
Adams highlights their distinctive strategy: "SingularityNET is the only credible, non-big tech contender in the race to AGI that’s not focused on the deep neural network approach. We have a neuro-symbolic and multi-algorithmic approach to AGI." Why is this important? Well, while most AGI efforts today lean almost entirely on deep neural nets, which are fantastic for pattern recognition, they often fall short when it comes to reasoning, true understanding, and adaptability. SingularityNET's systems, by contrast, excel at reasoning, generalizing, and collaborating more effectively and efficiently. These traits, Adams emphasizes, are absolutely crucial for building an open, decentralized AGI that is both transparent and truly aligned with human values. The team often contemplates the development of AGI, asking whether it will be a gradual "upbringing like a child," progressing through learning stages, or if it will simply "process in 15 seconds."
Dispelling Terminator Fears: AGI's Real Dangers
Okay, let's address the elephant in the room: the potential "dark side" of AGI. It’s a valid concern, and anyone working in this field, even with the best intentions for humanity, must acknowledge it. Adams once directly asked Ben Goertzel about the likelihood of a "Terminator-style scenario." His response? A definitive "0%." He argues that anyone who believes such an outcome is possible simply doesn’t understand AI motivational systems, as there's no inherent reason for AIs to turn against humans.
But this doesn't mean there aren't dangers. The most obvious, and perhaps most pressing, concern is the concentration of power. "Most obviously, if Big Tech or nation-state governments invent AGI first, the power and profit potential will be concentrated in the hands of a few," Adams warns. Imagine the disastrous consequences for humanity if such immense power were wielded by a limited group. This is precisely why we need "a broad base of ethics guiding the decisions of the future superintelligent AIs so they can make choices based on the needs of the widest group of people." In simpler terms, we need to collectively pause, take a deep breath, and embed appropriate ethical frameworks into AGI right now to avoid a dystopian "Black Mirror" future.
While predicting the future is impossible, if decentralized governance over AGI can be achieved, allowing diverse communities to make crucial decisions, it could effectively prevent entities and governments from succumbing to the corrupting influence of AGI's power. Yet, amidst all the marvels of technology, Adams reminds us not to lose sight of our own inherent brilliance. "We can’t forget how brilliant a species we are," she says, posing a poignant question: "Will AI be able to write poetry like William Butler Yeats? I don’t know if it will be able to touch my heart as deeply as some of the great writers and musicians. There’s something about passing on human feeling."
Working on AGI can feel like venturing into territory best described by religion or science fiction. Some view it as building a successor species, others as creating a god or even a devil. To navigate these profound questions, Adams relies on her spiritual side, having studied Tai Chi, Chi Gong, and energy healing in her youth. "I spent most of my spare time developing myself spiritually, raising my consciousness level, and transcending the noise and the chaos that is this human thought system," she explains. She actively practices cleansing her aura and endocrinology of negative emotions like fear, regret, or anxiety, striving to operate from a higher, more energetic sphere where she can contribute her absolute best.
FAQ
-
What is Janet Adams' role in the AGI field? Janet Adams serves as the Chief Operating Officer of SingularityNET, working alongside Ben Goertzel to develop and decentralize Artificial General Intelligence (AGI) using blockchain technology, emphasizing an ethical and human-aligned future.
-
How does SingularityNET's approach to AGI differ from other major tech companies? Unlike many large tech companies that focus primarily on deep neural networks and large language models, SingularityNET pursues a neuro-symbolic and multi-algorithmic approach, leveraging Goertzel's OpenCog Hyperon framework to achieve AGI with stronger reasoning, generalization, and collaborative capabilities.
-
What are some ethical concerns Janet Adams highlights regarding AGI? Adams is concerned about the concentration of AGI power in the hands of a few (Big Tech or nation-states), which could have disastrous consequences. She advocates for a broad ethical base and decentralized governance to ensure AGI decisions benefit the widest group of people and prevent corruption.
Conclusion
So, there you have it. Janet Adams isn't just a leader in the complex world of Artificial General Intelligence; she's a visionary with a deeply human perspective. From her early inspirations rooted in resilient female figures to her groundbreaking work at SingularityNET, Adams is driven by a powerful belief in an ethical and decentralized AI future. Her journey reminds us that while technology rockets forward, the core values of compassion, human ingenuity, and thoughtful leadership are absolutely critical. We're not just building smart machines; we're shaping the very fabric of our shared future, and with voices like Janet Adams', we have a real chance to build an AGI with heart.
