Google has always been making a push to usher in the future, and now they’re taking it a step further with their latest new hire. Starting Monday, renown futurist Ray Kurzweil will be putting in some work for the search giant.
Probably best known for his theory of the technological singularity, Kurzweil also has experience with machine learning and language processing, the two principle skills in which Google seems to be interested. Kurzweil had this to say when he announced the new job on his website:
I’ve been interested in technology, and machine learning in particular, for a long time: when I was 14, I designed software that wrote original music, and later went on to invent the first print-to-speech reading machine for the blind, among other inventions. I’ve always worked to create practical systems that will make a difference in people’s lives, which is what excites me as an inventor.
It seems like Google and Kurzweil should be able to make a good pair. What will come of the partnership? Who knows, but you can bet it’ll probably be futuristic and cool and who wouldn’t want that? [Kurzweil AI via TechCrunch]