From the dawn of human history, the drive to share knowledge and pass on intelligence has been integral to our species. Early humans, with their limited understanding of time, used cave paintings as a means of communication, a primitive but effective way to pass on crucial knowledge about their environment and lifestyle. These paintings serve as a testament to our species’ desire to learn and share knowledge, despite the constraints of their time.

Fast forward to 1977, and we witness a giant leap in our species’ ability to share knowledge: the launch of the Voyager 1 and 2 spacecraft. These unmanned probes, each weighing 729kg, were sent on a one-way mission into the vast expanse of our solar system, demonstrating our technical ingenuity and insatiable thirst for knowledge. Encased within each of these spacecraft is a golden record, a compilation of sounds and images from Earth intended to tell the story of us, of humanity, to any alien life that might come across it.

This enduring aspiration to expand our reach and share our intelligence is not bound by the limitations of our biological existence. So, what if our intellect – our ability to learn, adjust, comprehend – could outlast our physical bodies?

When we think of intelligence, the human brain, a complex maze of neurons shaped by millions of years of evolution, naturally springs to mind. But a new form of intelligence is emerging in tech companies and research facilities worldwide: artificial intelligence (AI). These systems learn from experiences, adapt to new inputs, and execute tasks that mimic human behaviour.

The victory of DeepMind’s AlphaGo over a world champion in the game of Go in 2016 made us reevaluate the potential of AI. The strategic and intuitive gameplay required for Go, a game with a broader range of potential moves than there are atoms in the universe, marked AlphaGo’s victory as a significant milestone in AI development.

But what does it mean for a machine to be intelligent? Can we legitimately compare artificial intelligence with human intelligence? As we delve deeper into these questions, we begin to see that the boundary separating human and artificial intelligence may not be as clear-cut as we once thought.

The dawn of AI and robotics marks the beginning of a new era of exploration. NASA’s Perseverance Rover, currently exploring Mars, is a testament to the advancements in AI and robotics. Through its lenses, we can explore the Martian landscape, search for signs of ancient life, and collect samples for future return to Earth.

Yet, Perseverance is only the beginning. The potential of AI and robotics extends far beyond exploration. As these technologies advance, we open up the possibility for a kind of life that can survive in environments we cannot and endure long after we are gone.

Traditionally, our understanding of life has been based solely on biology. But with the advent of sophisticated AI and robotics systems, we’re challenged to broaden our definition. In essence, we’re witnessing the evolution of a new form of life – one rooted in silicon rather than carbon, in code rather than DNA.

As we develop AI and robotics, the line between the biological and the artificial continues to blur. This progression leads to profound questions about the nature of life and intelligence. Can life only exist in the form we know, or can it take on a fundamentally different structure, made of different materials and following different rules? Can intelligence exist without consciousness, or does it necessitate a subjective experience?

The answers to these questions are still unknown, and they likely will remain so for some time. But one thing is certain: we are standing on the precipice of a new era, one where the definitions of life, intelligence, and existence could change forever.

Final Thoughts, A Brave New World

Just as cave paintings and Voyager’s golden records represent our species’ drive to learn, share knowledge, and endure beyond our physical existence, so too does the development of AI and robotics. As we continue to explore these new frontiers, we are not just developing new technologies; we are also redefining what it means to be intelligent, to be alive.

The pioneers of tomorrow won’t necessarily be human – they may not even be biological. They might be AI, robotics, or some combination of the two, probing the cosmos long after we’re gone, carrying with them the knowledge and legacy of humanity. As we stand at the dawn of this brave new world, we must confront these philosophical and existential questions and prepare for a future that may be as wonderful as it is unpredictable.