Why are pseuds so concerned about the Singularity when so far we can even simulate the nervous system of a bee or a worm? Progress in the speed of conventional processors is slowing down so even if we can eventually simulate a human mind it will only be on a super computer of prohibitive expense.

Obviously there could be another approach but after 60 years of research on this topic I doubt such a conceptual leap will come out of left field and take us by surprise.

We should be more concerned about genetic modification. We are getting closer to understanding the human genome all the time, we are also increasingly able to change genes and even design artificial wombs.

Imagine a world where businesses and governments can create individuals custom made for specific purposes. No need for family, no need for parenting, only the state. Individuals can be selected for their ability to cope without strong personal bonds, to work unquestioningly. The natural children of couples, if they're even allowed to exist, will grow up in a world where they can't compete with the superior genetically modified children. Humanity will eventually become like insects, collecting more resources for the colony. All of the things we live for: ambition, children, culture and sex will become extinct. Humanity will become a species of self domesticated animals. Humanity could even be diverged into multiple complimentary species that all think only of serving the colony. In short a reproductive strategy independent of any kind of known reproduction, the new humanity would be as different from us as a snail or single cell organism is.

This would mean extinction.