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Daily Record
Daily Record
Science
Nicola Roy

Humans could achieve immortality and 'live forever within eight years'

One expert in the future believes that humans could be just seven years away from achieving immortality and living forever.

Futurist and computer scientist Ray Kurzweil has made some predictions about when artificial intelligence (AI) will reach the singularity - which is a hypothetical point in time where technology growth is out of control and irreversible.

He believes that AI will catch up with true human intelligence in 2029, with immortality being possible the following year in 2030, reports indy100.

Kurzweil explained to Futurism: "2029 is the consistent date I have predicted for when an AI will pass a valid Turing test and therefore achieve human levels of intelligence.

"I have set the date 2045 for the 'Singularity' which is when we will multiply our effective intelligence a billionfold by merging with the intelligence we have created."

This isn't the first time the scientist has shared his predictions about the future of technology.

Back in 1990, he foretold that a computer would be able to beat a human at chess by the year 2000, which turned out to be accurate. He also envisioned that smartphones would end up being an integral part of our lives.

Speaking on a podcast with fellow computer scientist Lex Fridman, Kurzweil explained his views on immortality.

He believes we will be able to "advance human life expectancy" by "more than a year every year and I think we can get there by the end of this decade". He's predicted that nanobots in our blood will keep us healthy, and that we will also be able to 'upload' our memories and thoughts into the cloud and keep them forever.

While immortality may indeed be possible in a few years' time, it seems more difficult than ever for Glaswegians as it was recently revealed that residents of Scotland's largest city have the lowest life expectancy in the UK.

A study by The Times found that the 10 areas of the UK's 650 parliamentary constituencies were found to have the lowest life expectancy all came from Scotland.

It was found that Glasgow has an average life expectancy of 76 years, a whole 12 years younger than the best area for life expectancy - Hampstead in London - where it is 88.

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