[primitur]

I started to wonder about this, but then I realized that what we're really witnessing right now is the birth of the primordial Grey Goo. I mean, omnipresent super-observation states may be one angle of Our Future Dystopia, but I think energy-harvesting super computers that can reproduce is right around the corner on this one ..

[fredley]

Reproduction is one thing I'm really not concerned about actually. Is it even possible to build any kind of silicon-based electronics outside of a fab?

[javajosh]

We've already entered into a period of symbiosis, where software controls human bodies. It seems unlikely that machines can ever do better than a human hand (but can do better almost everywhere else!)

[fredley]

That software is still created by humans, subject to human forces though. You can characterise many things as 'training' or 'evolving' humans to serve their purposes, e.g. gut bacteria, poppies, cows, dogs, toxoplasma gondii, hammers etc. The characterisation doesn't tell you much though.