The Technium is the accumulation of inventions that humans have created, according to Kelly, and society is as dependent on it as it is on nature. This entity, just like the Earth, “has its own agenda”, its own laws, its own evolution. At this point it’s not conscious, but with the evolution of artificial intelligence, the day will come when it starts to have its own tendencies. Tendencies that don’t respond to any reflection. They’re just there, just like, for example, the current reality that the Internet is a place given over to copying or tracking. It’s something that is beyond any decision or human prohibition, according to Kelly. That’s just the way it is, and what we need to do is try to make the most of it.
In terms of its behaviour, the Technium is not at all like humans. It acts under its own laws of evolution, based on technology. And even though people may intervene to direct technology in one direction or another, there is something inherent in it that makes it take its own path. This is what the researcher calls “What technology wants” (the same as the title of his book in which he explains his theory) and what it wants is this: to increase diversity, freedom and the capacity to choose, expand space, be ubiquitous, become something beautiful, increase its complexity, align with nature, accelerate evolution, and play the infinite game.
Kelly says that he sees the Technium as “the child of humanity” and feels that it is the mission of humans to educate it and teach it certain principles, because when it reaches a certain level, a certain maturity, it will be much more autonomous than it is today. It’s still a child, but it will soon become an adolescent and will ultimately leave home.
The Technium also has a decisive influence on human nature. Kelly remarks that we have to recognise that humans are being redefined by technical advances. And for this reason, in the end, understanding technology will help us to discover and understand human existence.
In terms of its behaviour, the Technium is not at all like humans. It acts under its own laws of evolution, based on technology. And even though people may intervene to direct technology in one direction or another, there is something inherent in it that makes it take its own path. This is what the researcher calls “What technology wants” (the same as the title of his book in which he explains his theory) and what it wants is this: to increase diversity, freedom and the capacity to choose, expand space, be ubiquitous, become something beautiful, increase its complexity, align with nature, accelerate evolution, and play the infinite game.
Kelly says that he sees the Technium as “the child of humanity” and feels that it is the mission of humans to educate it and teach it certain principles, because when it reaches a certain level, a certain maturity, it will be much more autonomous than it is today. It’s still a child, but it will soon become an adolescent and will ultimately leave home.
The Technium also has a decisive influence on human nature. Kelly remarks that we have to recognise that humans are being redefined by technical advances. And for this reason, in the end, understanding technology will help us to discover and understand human existence.
1
