Free Republic

Stephen Hawking today warned that computers will overtake humans in terms of intelligence at some point within the next century. Speaking at the Zeitgeist 2015 conference in London, the internationally renowned cosmologist and Cambridge University professor, said: “Computers will overtake humans with AI at some within the next 100 years. When that happens, we need to make sure the computers have goals aligned with ours.” Hawking, who signed an open letter alongside Elon Musk earlier this year warning AI development should not go on uncontrolled, added: “Our future is a race between the growing power of technology and the wisdom...

PHOENIX (Reuters) - For the first time births have overtaken immigration as the main driver of dynamic growth in the U.S. Hispanic population, according to a new study released on Thursday The Pew Hispanic Center survey found the new trend especially evident among Mexican-Americans, who account for almost two thirds of the U.S. Latino population. The study, which drew on U.S. Census Bureau data and other government sources, noted the Mexican-American population grew by 7.2 million as a result of births in the decade to 2010, while new immigrants added 4.2 million people. ... The study found growth in the...

Economics: Europe has been the source of many of America's most beloved fairy tales. Not all are of ancient origin. Take the European Union's insistence five years ago that its economy would leapfrog ours by 2010. The so-called Lisbon Strategy was unveiled with much fanfare. Struck in the Portuguese capital, the deal essentially predicted the EU economy would pass up America's and leave it in the dust. At the time, it sounded reasonable. The EU was adding new members, and the common wisdom was that the U.S., though a big military power, was suffering from what geostrategists like to call...

Non-stop ads and campaigning portray next week's double-barreled initiative battle over gambling as a bellwether that will decide whether California becomes the nation's biggest casino mecca. The reality is more nuanced: Even if both ballot measures fail, gambling in California is poised to become a major industry. And with the state hungry for revenue and many Californians eager to spend their time and money pulling slot machine handles, many experts predict the industry here could soon overtake Nevada's. ``California is going to be one of the most significant gaming markets in the U.S. They have a truly deep population. They...