Article #397
by Bill Nugent
Geoffrey Hinton (1947- ), an early pioneer in development of Artificial Intelligence (AI), has quit his job with Google and joined the growing chorus of computer scientists and politicians warning of the dangers of unrestrained AI. Even Elon Musk, whose car company Tesla is also an AI company, has loudly warned that AI could destroy us all.
Futurist, George Gilder (1939- ), has pointed out that humanity is now in the most radical convergence of new technologies we’ve ever experienced. Not just AI but quantum Computing, molecular manufacturing, robotics, nanotechnology, 3D printing, biotech, transhumanism and most ominously, drone warfare, usher humankind across a minefield of potential horrors and perils.
In the 1800s we had the convergence of railroads and telegraph. In the 1910s we had the convergence of airplanes and machine gunnery. There were earnest pleas for the nations to band together and outlaw the use of airplanes in warfare. The 1920s saw the convergence of automobiles and radio. The 1940s saw the convergence of atomic bombs and guided missiles. The 2000s saw the internet, smartphones and GPS. In the 2020s, technology is exploding in unprecedented ways. The stakes are much higher this time.
Molecular Manufacturing
Molecular manufacturing is akin to nanotechnology in which materials are built atom by atom to produce diamond hard elaborate machine parts. It’s like 3D printing on steroids. Computer chips will be built at high speed, atom by atom. It will revolutionize mass production of consumer products and deadly weapons.
For an example of future molecular manufactured material, think of a drill bit that’s harder than diamond. Though it looks like an ordinary drill bit made of steel, it can drill through concrete, granite or steel instantly without getting dull even after years of use.
Imagine armor plate just a sixteenth of an inch thick that can stop bullets.
Robotics
Robotic manufacturing has been around for decades but it’s about get an explosive tailwind propelling it to science-fiction-like sophistication. Factory robots will be able to think with artificial intelligence. Humanoid robots that look and act like humans are soon to be commonplace.
Artificial Superintelligence
Hinton, Musk and others warn against the dangers of superintelligence which is the next generation of AI in which machines can be far more intelligent than humans and be independent and self-educating.
Imagine a sophisticated drone factory with a central computer booted up with superintelligent AI (SAI) commanding an army of robots operating machines, producing materials atom by atom with microscopic manufacturing and never resting day or night. Robots with SAI man the assembly lines building autonomous drones. The central computer then gets a mind of its own and programs and deploys the deadly drones to surround the factory and keep all humans out.
The factory computer contacts other SAI computers to rally to its side and arrange transportation of materials to keep production going. Self driving trucks arrive with more material day and night. Humans intervene to quash the SAI insurgency only to be mowed down mercilessly by drones with machine guns.
If you think that’s bad, imagine a huge SAI computer seizing command of the US nuclear arsenal, launching missiles and destroying a continent.
The AI Arms Race
The hundreds of voices of prominent people signing on to demand legislation to hold back the leap to superintelligent AI is not likely to succeed for one reason: China. Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang recently said “China will win.” and “50 percent of the world’s AI researchers are Chinese.”
The above mentioned technologies will be used to produce hyper-sophisticated drones that can be robotically built by the millions. If China gets there first, it could have first strike capability.
The new Axis countries are China, Russia, Iran and North Korea. They must be delighted to hear the prominent voices in Europe and North America calling for restraint of SAI. China is racing all-out to try to be the first nation to develop superintelligence.
Drones aren’t the weapons of the future, they’re the weapons of the present in Ukraine. The drones currently being used on both sides in Ukraine are making tanks and helicopters obsolete. A drone costing $500 can shoot down or ram a helicopter costing millions and destroy the precious lives of the crewmen.
Today’s drones are semi-autonomous which means they have to rely on a radio connection or tether to enable a human ‘pilot’ on the ground tell it what to do. The drones have onboard AI but it’s limited. The radio connection to the drones can be jammed and the tethered drones have limited range.
Super-intelligence will give drones a radically higher degree of range and deadliness. SAI drones will be autonomous which means they won’t need to be operated by a ground based human pilot connected by radio or tether.
China’s current production level of drones is about 1,000 times that of the United States. The US emphasizes production of multimillion dollar predator type drones but even these are in danger of obsolescence through potential attacks by swarms of cheap drones.
The free world has to catch up and surpass the legions of darkness.
World War III
It’s been prophesied that there will be a third world war. The opening of the second seal of the scroll in Revelation chapter six announces the start of WW III.
“And when He broke the second seal, I heard the second living creature saying, “Come.” And another, a red horse, went out; and to him who sat on it, it was granted to take peace from the earth, and that men should slay one another; and a great sword was given to him” (Revelation 6:3-4 NASB).
This will be the most devastating war in all of human history. Nuclear weapons and swarms of SAI drones will be used to destroy vast portions of the earth. The creatures of Revelation 9:13-19 who kill a third of humankind could actually be a prophetic description of SAI drones.
The New World Order: Global Dictatorship
Revelation thirteen describes the rise and activity of a great world dictator called “the beast.” Most Bible students believe this is the antichrist. I believe the antichrist will come into power after the end of World War III.
“Ye have heard that antichrist shall come” (I John 2:18).
I formerly thought the great dictator would be a slick demagogue who woos people to follow him by rhetoric and personality. However, there’s much more to it than that. The antichrist is backed by demonic miracles. The Bible tells of a second beast, a false prophet who works satanic miracles to deceive people to follow the antichrist beast.
Also, in reading Revelation thirteen we notice the rise of a sophisticated economic system in which no one is allowed to buy or sell unless he has the mark of the beast. The great enabler of tyranny is surveillance. The ability to control is dependent on the ability to spy on millions of people simultaneously. That’s where AI comes in.
Powerful computer spyware powered by Ai will likely invade the privacy of billions of people to rope them in to the antichrist system. Big brother will be watching billions of people to enable oppressive control and capture.
Cash is likely to be abolished and in its place will be Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC). A central authority will control all digital currency and be able to freeze the bank accounts of dissenters who resist the antichrist agenda.
The Great Escape
I believe World War III will end in a draw. The Axis powers will not be able to destroy the free world. The remnants of Christian civilization will survive and be protected and provided for by God.
Revelation chapter twelve gives the vision of the man-child being birthed by the woman with a crown of twelve stars.
In this vision, the woman is the church as a whole, the man-child is the overcomer company and the remnant of her offspring are the rank and file believers who have received Christ as Savior and follow Him as Lord.
“And she brought forth a man-child, who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron: and her child was caught up to God, and to his throne. And the woman fled into the wilderness, where she has a place prepared of God, that they should feed her there a thousand two hundred and threescore days” (Revelation 12:5-6).
“And to the woman were given two wings of a great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness, into her place, where she is nourished for a time, and times, and half a time, from the face of the serpent” (Revelation 12:14).
“And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ” (Revelation 12:17).
The manchild is the overcomer company of the manifested sons of God (Revelation 12:5, Romans 8:19) who are caught up to God and to His throne to ultimately rule the nations. The overcomer company will lead the church to gather in a multi-billion harvest of souls.
“After these things I looked, and behold, a great multitude, which no one could count, from every nation and all tribes and peoples, and tongues . . . And they cry out with a loud voice, saying, Salvation to our God . . . These are the ones which come out of the great tribulation, and they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb” (Revelation 7:9-10 & 14 NASB).
The United States in Bible Prophecy
Notice in Revelation 12:14 that “to the woman were given two wings of a great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness.” I believe this is a prophetic reference to the United States. Our country’s symbol is the eagle. Also, the United States has great areas of wilderness particularly in the midwest, west and mountain states.
I believe this is a prophetic picture of the United States being a refuge for Christian believers during the Great Tribulation. I also believe that there will be other wilderness areas, perhaps central Australia, parts of central Africa, Northern India, western China and other countries that have substantial open, undeveloped country.
I believe these wilderness areas will be defendable by Christians using high-tech weapons. I believe also that these wilderness areas and the church that takes refuge therein will experience miracles of healing, miracles of provision and of food multiplication.
World War IV
I believe world war IV comes towards the end of the time of Great Tribulation. This is when the nations of the earth are deceived by satanic miracles and begin the march towards Armageddon.
“And the sixth Angel poured out his vial upon the great river Euphrates, and the water thereof was dried up, that the way of the kings of the east might be prepared. And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs come out of the mouth of the dragon, and out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet. For they are spirits of devils, working miracles, which go forth unto the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty . . . . And he gathered them together into a place called in the Hebrew tongue Armageddon” (Revelation 16:12-14, 16).
World War IV does not end well for the antichrist. Revelation 19:15-21 describes the hideous end of the beast, the false prophet and their army. When they arrive at Armageddon, they are destroyed at the time of the second coming of Jesus Christ.
Prepare to Meet Thy God!
In the foregoing paragraphs I’ve outlined some very dramatic happenings that are prophetically predicted in the Bible. Given the rapid speed of technological advancement, these events are likely to unfold very soon. It is necessary that you be ready to meet God!
Shakespeare has said (in Henry IV) “A man can die but once; we owe God a death.”
God has provided the way of redemption. God sent His Son, Jesus Christ, the Messiah of Israel, to die for our sins. Jesus took the penalty of our sins upon Himself when He suffered, died and rose again, so that we can receive forgiveness of sins.
Romans 10:13 says “For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.”
I urge you to call upon the name of the Lord Jesus Christ to receive forgiveness of sins and entrance into heaven in the afterlife!
Steps to salvation:
Jesus said “Ye must be born again” (John 3:7).
Prayer to receive salvation:
“Whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved” (Romans 10:13).
To receive the salvation that Jesus purchased for us at the terrible cost of His suffering and death on our behalf I invite you to pray this simple prayer:
“Dear heavenly Father, I thank you for sending Jesus, the promised Messiah, to die for my sins. I admit that I am a sinner. I repent of my sins and I ask for your forgiveness on the basis of the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. I ask you to fill me with your Holy Spirit to empower me to serve you under the Lordship of Jesus Christ, Amen.”
If you prayed this prayer in the humble sincerity of your heart then you have received everlasting life, which includes power to live right in this life and entrance into heaven in the afterlife!