[Lessismore]

Given that computers are improving their performance at a high rate compared with humans, they are likely to find humans interesting for only a few years. After that, they will likely consider them either boring or an irritation.

[Prodigal Son]

You ever do any reading about the "Singularity"? It's all about what's going to happen when that day comes. The phrase was coined by Vernor Vinge (do a google on him- you'll come up with lots of Singularity stuff) and he reckons that as soon as 2035, this Singularity is going to happen. Humanity will become "transhuman", human minds morphed with super computer via advances in computing science, atificial intelligence, bio-tech and nano tech. It's at the same time exhilirating and scary stuff. We'll either become like Gods or as you say, the computers will find us to be a damned nusiance and do away with us.

Another guy named Eliezer Yudkowsky has written something on the subject called "The Low Beyond- Staring into the Singularity" ( it's worth a few minutes of your time- interesting). He reckons that since this event will be tatamount to solving all of mankind's current problems, the overriding goal of all of mankind at the moment should be to get to the Singularity as quickly as possible- his own estimate is the year 2021. He even advocates surgically "improving" 10,000 children (in effect creating superchildren who are genetically more intelligent) who would then go on to hopefully accelerate our pace towards the Singularity.

It's far out but interesting stuff. I'm 36 now. If it happens in another 35 years, I might even be around for it. If it happens in 2021- shucks that's right around the corner- but I won't be holding my breath though.