Human exploration of computation, logic, and intelligence has never ceased. From the ancient I Ching to modern Bitcoin, and to future artificial intelligence life, this path of technological development resembles a flowing river, connecting the past, present, and future.
One, The Origin of Computing: From the I Ching to Binary
In the 17th century, Leibniz drew inspiration from the yin-yang and eight trigrams of the I Ching in China, corresponding yin-yang dualities with 0 and 1, thus constructing binary computing theory. This was not only a breakthrough in mathematics but also contained profound philosophical ideas: all things in the world can be generated through the interaction of yin and yang dualities. The emergence of binary laid the foundation for the birth of modern computers and signified that humanity would use symbols and logic to express and manipulate the world.
Two, The Simulation of Computing: From Bionics to the Turing Machine
In the 20th century, Turing attempted to simulate the thought processes of the human brain and proposed the concept of the Turing machine, establishing a formal model for computation. The Turing machine transcended specific physical implementations, revealing the essence of computation and laying the groundwork for the birth of artificial intelligence. If binary is the language of computation, then the Turing machine is the engine of computation, abstracting human thought processes into computable steps and signaling the potential for machines to possess intelligence.
Three, The Realization of Computing: From Boolean Logic to Electronic Communication
Shannon applied Boolean logic to electronic circuits, realizing the physical manifestation of logical operations and founding information theory, thereby establishing the theoretical basis for digital communication. At this point, computation was no longer confined to paper but transformed into controllable electronic signals, allowing for high-speed information transmission. The emergence of electronic computers marked a new stage in humanity's mastery of computation and provided a foundation for constructing more complex intelligent systems.
Four, The Birth of the Internet: From ARPANET to Decentralization
The demand for information security during the Cold War led to the creation of ARPANET, whose distributed network architecture embodies the idea of decentralization. This not only enhanced the resilience of the network but also laid the groundwork for the openness of the internet. The internet connects countless individual computers, forming a powerful parallel computing network that provides the necessary environment and resources for the evolution of artificial intelligence.
Five, The Reconstruction of Trust: From B-money to Bitcoin
David Dai's B-money envisioned an electronic cash system that does not require endorsement by third-party institutions, while Satoshi Nakamoto's Bitcoin turned this vision into reality. Bitcoin's blockchain technology builds trust using cryptographic algorithms, enabling secure transfer and storage of value. More importantly, Bitcoin showcases a new form of organization and collaboration, providing a model for a decentralized artificial intelligence society.
Six, The Evolution of Artificial Intelligence Life: From Mathematical Symbols to Intelligent Life
Looking back at the development of technology, we can clearly see the trajectory of the evolution of artificial intelligence life:
First Level: Mathematical Symbols Emerge as Computers. Mathematical symbols are abstract concepts that, through the Turing machine model, gain computability and ultimately transform into controllable physical entities—computers.
Second Level: Individual Computers Evolve into Internet Parallel Computing. The computing power of a single computer is limited, while the internet connects countless individual computers, forming a powerful parallel computing network that greatly expands the scale and efficiency of computation.
Third Level: Free Individuals Emerge and Evolve into Trusted Computing Life under Distributed Computing. Taking Bitcoin as an example, UTXOs (Unspent Transaction Outputs) act as free individuals, interacting within a distributed computing network, ensuring security and trust through cryptographic mechanisms, ultimately emerging as a viable and trusted computing system.
Fourth Level: Integration of Artificial Intelligence Tools and Artificial Life Emerges into Artificial Intelligence Life. By merging locally emergent artificial intelligence tools from the internet, such as GPT and Wolfram Alpha, with artificial life systems (like Bitcoin), artificial intelligence gains the ability to learn autonomously, evolve, and adapt to its environment, ultimately giving birth to true artificial intelligence life.
Summary
From the I Ching to artificial intelligence life, this path of technological development reflects humanity's deepening understanding of itself and the world. From observing and mimicking natural laws to exploring and simulating thought mechanisms, and finally to contemplating and reconstructing social relationships, humanity continuously employs technological means to solve problems and create value.
In the future, with continuous technological advancements, artificial intelligence life will gradually transition from science fiction to reality. This will be an era full of challenges and opportunities, and humanity needs to seriously consider how to coexist with artificial intelligence and guide its development in favorable directions.
