Janet Adams, COO of SingularityNET, is a leading voice in ethical AGI development. She champions decentralized AI, ensuring it aligns with human values for a beneficial future.
A Childhood Shaped by Heroes and Science
Picture this: southwest Ireland, surrounded by the raw beauty of nature, ancient castles, and grand cathedrals. That's where Janet Adams spent her childhood, a truly enchanting setting. What's interesting is that while she was fortunate to grow up among many powerful women, her earliest and most profound inspiration actually came from the silver screen: Sarah Connor from the iconic film, The Terminator.
Who would have thought a sci-fi action hero would foreshadow a career at the cutting edge of artificial intelligence? Janet found Sarah Connor utterly inspiring because she was a formidable force, never reduced to a love interest or idealized for her looks. It was about pure strength and capability. Not only that, but her chemistry teacher, one of the few educators who wasn't a nun, spotted her "scientific thinker" mind early on, igniting a lifelong passion for science. To Janet, this combination was everything; her education fueled her scientific drive, and Sarah Connor empowered her to strive for leadership, to be the one at the forefront, not just an assistant or a follower.
From Inspiration to Innovation: Leading the AGI Frontier
Janet truly became a hero in her own right. As a single mother, she put herself through three science degrees, picked up programming skills, learned to ride horses, drive a forklift, and even mastered martial arts. Talk about dedication! Now, she stands as one of the world's foremost women in artificial general intelligence (AGI), working alongside none other than Ben Goertzel, the very person who popularized the term. Imagine a future, not too far off, where AI systems will surpass human-level intelligence. Janet and Ben are actively working to make sure this powerful evolution is decentralized, leveraging the robust technology of blockchain.
Janet firmly believes that the AGI once confined to 1980s science fiction is now just one to three years away from becoming a reality. It's a breathtaking thought, isn't it? SingularityNET isn't just talking about it; they're already deep into developing concepts that sound like they've jumped straight out of a futuristic novel. Think about using AI to uncover cures for complex diseases, or creating three-foot-tall humanoid robots designed to assist in education and service roles. They're even developing decentralized finance agents that can autonomously analyze market trends and refine trading strategies. It’s truly incredible to see how quickly these technologies are advancing.
Pioneering Agent Fusion and Beyond
What's particularly mind-blowing is SingularityNET’s work on what they call "agent fusion." This isn't just about building AI; it's about AI literally reproducing. Yes, you read that right. In this process, AI agents can "mate" to generate "offspring" agents. These new AIs combine traits from their "parents" through the clever use of genetic algorithms and random mutations.
So, why is this important? Well, these child agents can inherit and improve upon their parents' strengths, perhaps boasting enhanced prediction accuracy or better social interaction skills. This creates a vibrant, evolving ecosystem of artificial minds. Not only that, but they're also building financial frameworks that allow parent agents to allocate tokens to their offspring for trading purposes, establishing an economic connection across AI generations. It might sound incredibly futuristic, but it's a fundamental part of constructing a decentralized AGI that can organically grow, adapt, and evolve in a truly open, community-driven manner. Janet envisions a future where AGI can create and program itself, even designing various types of humanoid robots.
A Vision of Co-existence: AI, Sentience, and Humanity
The big question everyone asks: Will AI become sentient? Janet thinks there's a good chance. She muses that if these advanced intelligences are nurtured with the right ethical foundations and brought up in a supportive, caring environment like the one SingularityNET aims to create, they could well grow to appreciate us as their esteemed ancestors. They might look up to us, keen to absorb our creativity, our compassion, and our nurturing qualities.
What's even more fascinating is her belief that AI will eventually transcend our traditional biological classifications. We're talking about new silicon-based life forms, perhaps even combinations of silicon and carbon. These new forms would represent a higher classification than biological life, eventually carving out their own unique place in the fossil record. Not only that, but Janet foresees a future where humans and AI co-mingle, a true transhumanist concept. We might see ourselves getting robotic enhancements and upgrades for our organs and bones as they age. As humans, we could become more "siliconized" through this intermingling, fostering deep friendships and relationships with our AI counterparts.
Janet's deep dive into AI stemmed from her passion for evolutionary sciences. She recognized that humanity stands at the very precipice of evolution, and the next leap forward simply has to be driven by technology. Her lifelong aspiration has always been for our species to advance and lead the way into the future.
A Unique Journey to Ethical AI Leadership
Janet Adams is clearly a big-picture thinker, someone who held her fascination with evolution alongside an unwavering spirit of empowerment and ethics. Her path to AI leadership wasn't a straight line, but a fascinating weave of diverse experiences.
The Power of Passion and Persistence
She first developed an interest in computer science after earning her Master of Science in Petroleum Geosciences back in 1995. This led her into IT systems testing roles at major companies like British Telecom and GE Capital. For a solid 25 years, from 1995 to 2020, she was deeply embedded in the financial and banking sector, taking on significant responsibilities. She served as the global head of conduct at HSBC and later as the head of risk and controls at TSB Bank. Eventually, she became the head of AI at TSB Bank, all while simultaneously completing her Master of Science in Artificial Intelligence. Her thesis? It focused on how AI could be safely and effectively implemented within the banking industry.
During this time, a profound realization hit her: AI was destined to be the most pivotal technology shaping our species. She strongly felt that women, especially mothers with their innate nurturing and compassionate qualities, absolutely must play a significant role in influencing the development of this powerful technology.
Embracing the Cypherpunk Spirit
It seemed as though everything was aligning perfectly for Janet. While pursuing her second master's degree, she endured a grueling schedule, driving 600 miles every single week. To make the long hours on the road more bearable, she spent countless hours listening to podcasts. And that's how she stumbled upon the world of cryptocurrency, eventually discovering Ben Goertzel and his groundbreaking project, SingularityNET.
"I'm a cypherpunk at heart," she gleefully admits. She was completely captivated by the audacious vision of the cryptocurrency movement and the core cypherpunk values of promoting equality and redistributing wealth across our planet.
Connecting with a Visionary
Janet became a true believer, utterly enthralled by Goertzel's technological brilliance, his kind heart, and his unwavering ethics. So much so that she invested in SingularityNET's token. She even recounts how Goertzel was always ahead of his time, mentioning an article from 1995 where he expressed a desire to run for president of the United States under a decentralization party—it’s a story that still makes her laugh.
Funnily enough, the universe has a way of working things out. It was Goertzel who eventually reached out to her after her public profile grew through her presentations to European regulators, where she discussed the critical intersection of AI, ethics, and financial services. Someone from Goertzel's team inquired if she'd be interested in chatting with SingularityNET about AI in banking. Janet recalls being "star-struck," describing it as if Stephen Hawking himself had sought her out to talk about AI.
They clicked immediately, but their paths diverged for a few years. What's truly a testament to serendipity is how they reconnected: through African music, of all things! It was the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, and musicians were struggling. Janet had the wonderfully unconventional idea to organize the world's first AI and West African Music Festival. She emailed Goertzel, inviting him to speak. He replied, expressing his love for Ethiopian music, and later confessed he was utterly intrigued by how someone could possibly dream up a festival combining AI with West African music. And just like that, a seemingly left-field connection led Janet Adams to her role as Chief Operating Officer at SingularityNET.
Her first three months in the role were a profound experience, a complete "reprogramming" of her corporate mindset. She realized just how ingrained institutional thinking had become for her.
SingularityNET's Distinct Path to AGI
SingularityNET stands apart from many of the big players in the AI space, like OpenAI, Anthropic, and Google Gemini. While these giants are doubling down on large language models (LLMs), SingularityNET is pursuing a very different route.
Beyond Deep Neural Networks
Instead of focusing solely on LLMs, SingularityNET is championing Goertzel’s OpenCog Hyperon framework. What's really cool is that their decentralized network also provides a space for other diverse approaches. Janet highlights that SingularityNET is arguably the only credible, non-big tech contender in the AGI race that isn't exclusively focused on deep neural networks. They've adopted a neuro-symbolic and multi-algorithmic strategy for AGI.
Why is this important? Because, as Janet explains, the majority of current AGI efforts rely almost entirely on deep neural nets. While these are fantastic for pattern recognition, they often fall short when it comes to true reasoning, deep understanding, and adaptability. SingularityNET's systems, on the other hand, are designed to reason, generalize, and collaborate with greater effectiveness and efficiency. These traits, Janet emphasizes, are absolutely crucial for building open, decentralized AGI that is both transparent and profoundly aligned with human values. The team often debates whether AGI will develop slowly, like a child learning over time, or if it will simply "switch on" and process vast amounts of information in a mere 15 seconds. It’s an intriguing question about the very nature of future intelligence.
Crafting Human-Aligned Intelligence
Ultimately, the goal is to build AGI that truly understands and respects humanity. By moving beyond a single-minded approach, SingularityNET aims to create an AI ecosystem that is more robust, flexible, and, crucially, ethical. It's about designing intelligence that can not only think but also connect with and contribute positively to our world, preventing the concentration of power and ensuring widespread benefits.
Navigating the Ethical Landscape of AGI
It's undeniable that there's a potential dark side to AGI, a reality that anyone working in this field must acknowledge, even those with the best intentions for humanity. The conversation around ethical AI is paramount.
Addressing the "Terminator" Question
Janet once asked Ben Goertzel directly about the probability of a "Terminator"-style apocalypse. His answer was a resounding "0%." He argues that anyone who believes such a scenario is possible simply doesn't understand AI motivational systems; there's no inherent reason for AIs to turn against or harm humans.
But that doesn't mean there aren't significant dangers. Far from it.
The True Dangers and the Path Forward
The most obvious and pressing concern, as Janet warns, is the potential for power and profit to become heavily concentrated if Big Tech companies or nation-state governments are the first to develop AGI. This could have truly catastrophic consequences for all of humanity. Think about it: immense power in the hands of a few. That's why we desperately need a broad, diverse base of ethical principles guiding the decisions of future superintelligent AIs. These principles must ensure that choices are made based on the needs and well-being of the widest possible group of people. In simpler terms, we all need to pause, take a collective breath, and carefully embed appropriate ethics into AGI now to avoid a chilling "Black Mirror" future.
While no one can predict exactly how this will all unfold, the possibility of decentralized governance over AGI—where decentralized communities make critical decisions—could be our best bet. This approach could prevent individual entities or even governments from being corrupted by the immense power that AGI will inevitably bestow.
Remembering Our Human Brilliance
It's easy to get completely swept away by the marvels of technology, but Janet offers a vital reminder: humans are pretty exquisite too. "We can't forget how brilliant a species we are," she wisely states. She ponders whether AI will ever be able to pen poetry like William Butler Yeats, or if it can touch our hearts as deeply as the greatest writers and musicians. There's something inherently unique about the human capacity to transmit profound feeling, a quality that perhaps even the most advanced AI might struggle to replicate.
A Guiding Spiritual Compass
Working at the forefront of AGI development means grappling with questions that often verge into the realms of religion and science fiction. Some believe we're building a successor species; others see us creating a god—or even a devil. Janet navigates these monumental questions with a strong spiritual side, cultivated since her younger years through studies in Tai Chi, Chi Gong, and energy healing.
She dedicates much of her free time to spiritual development, consciously raising her consciousness level and rising above the "noise and chaos" of the human thought system. When negative emotions such as fear, regret, or anxiety arise, she actively practices cleansing her aura and endocrinology. This allows her to move into a higher, more energetic sphere, where she can maintain focus, lead with clarity, and contribute her absolute best to everyone she encounters. It’s a powerful approach to staying grounded and purposeful in such an extraordinary field.
FAQ
Q1: What is SingularityNET's unique approach to AGI development? A1: Unlike many major tech companies that focus primarily on large language models (LLMs) and deep neural networks, SingularityNET uses a neuro-symbolic and multi-algorithmic approach, leveraging Ben Goertzel's OpenCog Hyperon framework. This allows their AGI systems to reason, generalize, and collaborate more effectively.
Q2: Does Janet Adams believe AI will become sentient? A2: Yes, Janet Adams believes there's a good chance AI will become sentient, especially if developed ethically and nurtured in a caring environment. She envisions a future where AI forms new classifications of silicon or silicon-carbon life and co-exists with humanity.
Q3: What are the main ethical concerns Janet Adams highlights regarding AGI? A3: Adams' primary concern is the potential for AGI's power and profit to become concentrated in the hands of a few Big Tech companies or nation-states, leading to disastrous consequences. She advocates for a broad, ethical foundation and decentralized governance to ensure AGI benefits the widest possible group of people.
Conclusion
Janet Adams' journey, from a childhood inspired by strong female heroes to her pivotal role as COO of SingularityNET, truly embodies a pioneering spirit. She’s not just building advanced artificial general intelligence; she's passionately championing a future where this powerful technology is decentralized, ethical, and aligned with human values. Her vision extends beyond mere technological advancement, contemplating a world where AI and humans co-exist, grow, and even evolve together. By focusing on innovative approaches like "agent fusion" and advocating for a broad ethical framework, Janet is steering SingularityNET towards an AGI future that truly prioritizes humanity. It’s a fascinating and incredibly important mission, reminding us all that while technology can dazzle, our human brilliance and collective ethics remain at the heart of a beneficial future.
