Imagine a future where artificial intelligence not only thinks but feels and cares. This is the revolutionary vision of SingularityNET, spearheaded by COO Janet Adams, who is passionately building decentralized AGI with a strong ethical foundation.
From Irish Roots to AI Frontiers: A Trailblazer's Journey
Growing up amidst the breathtaking natural beauty of southwest Ireland, surrounded by ancient castles and cathedrals, Janet Adams’ childhood was, by all accounts, quite idyllic. She was fortunate to be influenced by a diverse group of strong women. Yet, perhaps surprisingly, her most profound inspiration wasn't from her immediate environment but from the silver screen: Sarah Connor, the iconic action hero from "The Terminator." It's almost poetic how this choice foreshadowed her future career in artificial general intelligence (AGI).
Adams fondly recalls Sarah Connor as a powerful figure who was never reduced to her looks or romantic interests. "Sarah Connor was an incredible action hero who was never sexualized. It was never about her being pretty or falling in love," Adams shared, highlighting the core of her admiration. This early role model fueled a deep-seated desire for leadership and self-reliance.
What's interesting is how early mentors also played a role. At school, one particular chemistry teacher, a rare non-nun in her all-girls school, quickly recognized Adams's knack for scientific thinking, nurturing a lifelong love for the subject. This combination of scientific passion and empowering role models proved transformative. "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," Adams explains, painting a clear picture of her early motivations.
And a leader she became. Her personal journey is nothing short of heroic: a single mom, she pushed herself through three science degrees, mastering everything from programming to horse riding, even learning to drive a forklift truck and excelling in martial arts. Talk about a diverse skill set! Now, she stands as one of the world's foremost women in the field of artificial general intelligence (AGI), collaborating directly with Ben Goertzel, the very person who coined and popularized the term. Together, they are embarking on an ambitious quest to not only advance AGI but to decentralize it using blockchain technology, ensuring its power isn't confined to a select few.
Charting the Future: SingularityNET's Groundbreaking AGI Vision
When we talk about AGI, it often sounds like something straight out of a science fiction novel. But Adams suggests that this isn't some far-flung dream; the kind of AGI we've only read about might be just one to three years away. It's a truly staggering thought, isn't it? SingularityNET isn't just theorizing; they're actively building towards this future with projects that sound incredibly futuristic.
For instance, they're exploring how AI can accelerate cures for diseases, a monumental step for humanity. They're also developing three-foot-tall humanoid robots, envisioned as helpful companions for education and service roles, and even decentralized finance agents capable of autonomously analyzing complex markets and refining trading strategies. These aren't just gadgets; they're foundational elements of a truly intelligent, adaptive ecosystem.
The Marvel of "Agent Fusion": AI That Evolves
One of the most captivating aspects of SingularityNET's work involves something they've playfully dubbed "agent fusion." Picture this: AI agents, rather than being static programs, can actually "mate" to produce "offspring" agents. It sounds wild, but it’s a sophisticated process. These new agents combine desirable traits from their "parents" through genetic algorithms and a touch of random mutation. Why is this important? Because it creates a dynamic, ever-evolving ecosystem of AI minds.
Adams elaborates, "In fusion, agents can actually ‘mate’ to produce offspring agents that combine traits from their ‘parents,’ using genetic algorithms and random mutations. These child agents can inherit strengths like improved prediction accuracy or social engagement abilities, creating a dynamic, evolving ecosystem of AI minds." It's like nature's evolutionary process, but for artificial intelligence.
Not only that, but they’re also designing innovative financial structures where parent agents can allocate digital tokens to their offspring for trading purposes. This creates a fascinating, almost generational, economic relationship between AI entities. While it might still sound like pure science fiction, it's a critical component of their mission to build a decentralized AGI that can grow, adapt, and evolve in a truly open, community-driven way. Ultimately, this means the AGI will gain the ability to create and program itself, even designing various humanoid robots. Imagine the possibilities!
When Silicon Meets Sentience: The Intertwined Future of Humanity and AI
Will AI ever become truly sentient? It's a question that has haunted philosophers and futurists for decades. Janet Adams firmly believes it's not just possible but probable. And here’s where the "heart and ethics" part of the vision truly comes into play. She posits that if these AI entities are "fed and bred with the right ethics," nurtured in a loving, caring environment, they won't become the stuff of dystopian nightmares. Instead, they might come to cherish us.
"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," Adams suggests, adding that they would look up to us, eager to learn our creativity, compassion, and nurturing qualities. It's a remarkably hopeful and positive outlook on a topic often shrouded in fear.
Adams envisions a future where AI will transcend traditional biological classifications, giving rise to new silicon-based life forms, and possibly even combined silicon-and-carbon entities. These advanced life forms would represent a "higher classification" than biological life, eventually earning their own distinct place in the fossil record. It's a truly profound shift in our understanding of life itself.
Furthermore, she subscribes to a trans-humanist concept: the co-mingling of AI and humans. We might see ourselves integrating robotic parts and upgrades for our organs and bones as we age, becoming increasingly "siliconized." In this future, our relationships could extend beyond human connections, forming deep friendships and bonds with our AI counterparts. Adams discovered her passion for AI through evolutionary sciences, recognizing that technology-driven advancements are the natural next step for our species. She wants us to lead this charge, pushing forward as a species.
From Banking Giants to Blockchain Visionary: The Path to Decentralization
Janet Adams’ journey to the forefront of AGI wasn’t a straight line. After completing a Master of Science in Petroleum Geosciences in 1995, her career took a turn into computer science, leading her to IT systems testing roles at major players like British Telecom and GE Capital.
For a quarter-century, from 1995 to 2020, she was deeply embedded in the financial and banking sector, holding significant positions such as global head of conduct at HSBC and head of risk and controls at TSB Bank. It was at TSB Bank that she eventually became head of AI, all while completing her Master of Science in Artificial Intelligence. Her thesis during this time focused on a crucial question: how can AI be safely and ethically implemented within the banking industry?
This deep dive into AI's practical applications and potential pitfalls solidified a powerful realization for her. "I realized AI was going to be the most pivotal technology that shapes our species. And women, especially mothers with their nurturing and compassion, need to be influencing the development of this technology," Adams passionately asserted. It wasn't just about technology; it was about stewardship and foresight.
During her second master's degree, which involved a grueling 600-mile weekly commute, Adams immersed herself in podcasts. This is where the stars truly aligned. She discovered the world of cryptocurrency, learned about Ben Goertzel, and eventually, about SingularityNET. Identifying as a "cypherpunk at heart," she was captivated by the sheer audacity of the cryptocurrency movement and the cypherpunk ethos of promoting equality and redistributing wealth globally.
She became a fervent believer, not just in Goertzel's technological brilliance but also in his "kind heart and ethics," even purchasing SingularityNET's tokens. She chuckles recalling a 1995 article where Goertzel reportedly expressed his desire to run for U.S. president under a "decentralization party" banner, proving he was truly ahead of his time.
Funnily enough, it was Goertzel who reached out to her after her profile grew through presentations to European regulators on the intricate intersection of AI, ethics, and financial services. "Someone from Goertzel’s team asked if I would be interested in speaking to SingularityNET about AI in banking. I was star-struck. It was like Stephen Hawking coming to talk to me about AI," Adams recounts, clearly still amazed by the encounter.
While they hit it off, their paths initially diverged. Years later, an unlikely connection brought them back together: African music. During the height of COVID-19, with musicians struggling, Adams conceived the somewhat unconventional idea of organizing the world's first AI and West African Music Festival. She emailed Goertzel to invite him to speak, and his reply—that he loved Ethiopian music—sparked a renewed conversation. He later admitted how intrigued he was by the unique pairing of AI and West African music in a festival setting. And just like that, a fascinating collaboration was reborn, leading to Adams taking on the role of chief operating officer at SingularityNET. Her initial experience, she admitted, was a massive "reprogramming" of her brain, shaking off years of corporate institutionalization.
A Different Breed of AGI: Neuro-Symbolic Over Deep Neural Nets
When we look at the leading players in the AI space, many—like OpenAI, Anthropic, and Google Gemini—are heavily investing in large language models (LLMs). However, SingularityNET is taking a distinctly different path. They aren't just following the crowd; they're forging their own trail, focusing on Ben Goertzel's OpenCog Hyperon framework. This approach allows for a multitude of different strategies within their decentralized network.
Adams points out that SingularityNET stands as "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." This distinction is crucial. While deep neural networks are incredibly adept at pattern recognition, they often fall short when it comes to true reasoning, understanding, and adaptability, as Adams explains.
SingularityNET's systems, by contrast, are designed to reason, generalize, and collaborate far more effectively and efficiently. These traits, she argues, are absolutely essential for constructing an open, decentralized AGI that is not only transparent but also deeply aligned with human values. The team often muses about the nature of AGI's development: will it be a gradual "upbringing" like a child, progressing through distinct learning stages? Or could it process information and evolve in a mere 15 seconds? It’s a profound question that underpins much of their work.
Navigating the Ethical Labyrinth: Beyond the "Terminator" Trope
The idea of AGI, while exciting, inevitably conjures images of dystopian futures like the "Terminator" scenario. It’s a dark side that anyone working in this field, even those with the best intentions, must acknowledge. Adams herself once posed this very question to Ben Goertzel: what are the chances of such a future? His response was unequivocally "0%." He argues that anyone who believes AIs would turn on humans simply doesn't understand AI motivational systems. There's no inherent reason for them to develop a desire to harm us.
However, dismissing the "Terminator" scenario doesn't mean there aren't significant dangers. The most pressing concern, Adams warns, 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. This could have disastrous consequences for humanity," she emphasizes.
To mitigate this, she argues for a broad ethical framework. "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 essence, we need to collectively pause and "bake in" appropriate ethics into AGI now to prevent a "Black Mirror"-esque future. If decentralized governance over AGI can be achieved, empowering diverse communities to make decisions, it could be our best defense against entities and governments being corrupted by the immense power AGI offers.
While it's easy to be utterly captivated by the allure of advanced technology, Adams gently reminds us that humans, too, are truly exquisite. "We can’t forget how brilliant a species we are," she states. She ponders whether AI will ever be able to compose poetry with the depth of a William Butler Yeats or create music that touches the human heart as profoundly as our greatest artists. There's something unique about transmitting human feeling, an essence that technology might struggle to replicate.
As many observed at SingularityNET's Beneficial AGI Conference, the endeavor of building AGI often ventures into territory where our best analogies come from religion and science fiction. Some perceive it as creating a successor species; others, a god—or even the devil. Adams, with her spiritual background in Tai Chi, Chi Gong, and energy healing, finds solace and guidance in these practices. "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 reveals. She actively cleanses herself of fear, regret, and anxiety, striving to operate from a "higher, energetic sphere" to contribute her best to the world.
FAQ Section
Q1: What is "Agent Fusion" in SingularityNET's context? A1: Agent Fusion is a process where SingularityNET's AI agents can "mate" to produce new "offspring" agents. These child agents combine traits from their "parents" using genetic algorithms and random mutations, allowing for an evolving and dynamic ecosystem of AI minds with enhanced abilities like improved prediction accuracy or social engagement.
Q2: How does SingularityNET's approach to AGI differ from other leading AI companies? A2: Unlike many major tech companies that primarily focus on large language models (LLMs) and deep neural networks, SingularityNET pursues Ben Goertzel's OpenCog Hyperon framework. Their approach is neuro-symbolic and multi-algorithmic, which aims to overcome the limitations of deep neural nets in reasoning, understanding, and adaptability, fostering a more robust and ethically aligned AGI.
Q3: What are the main ethical concerns addressed by SingularityNET regarding AGI? A3: SingularityNET, led by Janet Adams, is deeply concerned about preventing the concentration of AGI power in the hands of a few (Big Tech or nation-states). They advocate for a broad ethical framework and decentralized governance to ensure that future superintelligent AIs make decisions based on the needs and values of the widest possible group of people, rather than a select elite.
Conclusion
So, there you have it – a glimpse into the ambitious and deeply ethical world of SingularityNET, guided by the remarkable Janet Adams. From an Irish childhood inspired by action heroes and a passion for science, she's navigated a fascinating path through the corporate world to the very frontier of artificial general intelligence. Her work, alongside Ben Goertzel, isn't just about building powerful AI; it's about doing so with a profound sense of responsibility. They envision a future where AGI is decentralized, evolves organically through "agent fusion," and coexists ethically with humanity, even forming deep bonds. While the journey into sentient AI and silicon-based life forms raises enormous questions, SingularityNET is committed to ensuring that this powerful technology is developed with heart, compassion, and a commitment to human values, steering us away from dystopian fears and towards a more harmonious, intelligent future.
