[Fitzcarraldo]

Thus begins the symbiotic age, which was preceeded by the Information Age, which will be followed by the Autonomous Age (computers exceeding human capabilities), leading to the Technological Sincularity, beyond which it will be impossible to predict anything because super-human computers will be running things, probably without human control or oversight.

Vernor Vinge on the Singularity

[cgbg]

There are many great sf books on the singularity concept.

I am currently reading and really enjoying Karl Schroeder's "Ventus" about a planet controlled by nanotechnology. If you click on my name I have brief comments on many sf books.

[Drammach]

because super-human computers will be running things, probably without human control or oversight.

Vinge's 2nd concept, IA ( Intelligence Amplification ) seems to agree with this article's scenario...

While AI has been stalled out and may be a dead end for decades to come, IA may have a future..
With IA, the human provide the "intelligence", or the conscious, creative mind that controls and directs..
Technology "simply" enhances the abilities and powers of the controlling intellect..

The scary thing there is, the outcome of such advancement depends entirely on human morality, and adherence to concepts of right and wrong..