[xamdam]

In the 1930s Ernest Rutherford (1871–1937) repeatedly suggested, sometimes angrily, that the possibility of harnessing atomic energy was "moonshine".

The examples you mention are of things actually likely never achievable, while there is an existence proof of intelligent machines walking around everywhere.

[robotresearcher]

Right! and I'm concerned about one or more of those meat machines going maniac and posing an existential threat to the rest of us. I'm much more worried about that than a descendent of Watson going all Ultron.

I'm far from a pessimist or Luddite. I'm optimistic that studying the smart meat machines can help us make better AIs.