An old buddy of mine who happens to now be a psychologist introduced me to the wonders of Ray Kurzweil’s predictions only a few years ago. We’d known each other since junior high school and he had always been into this type of stuff; computers, technology, and neuroscience. Though it had been several years since we had last spoken in person, he still had that same wide-eyed look when he spoke of something he thought was revolutionary.

“You have to read this book!” he told me. He went on to explain the future, as predicted by inventor/author/futurist Raymond “Ray” Kurzweil. Now I love a good futuristic flick as much as the next guy, but some of these claims sounded a little too far-fetched even for my wild imagination. There was no way some of these claims could hold up to a factual analysis of reality. Still, I left that encounter too intellectually stimulated to not pick up the book. Turns out that this Mr. Kurzweil has written several books. His pedigree of predicting and inventing technology spans several decades. Along the way he picked up awards from four different U.S. presidents!
I read one of his books (The Age of Spiritual Machines) and was fascinated. The author leads you through a step by step scientific history of the universe, giving you some perspective, before he rockets you through undeniable claims that end in you firmly believing in some of the things you may have thought outrageous not so long before. Riveting. Awe-inspiring. A very possible look into the near future.
Flash forward to a few months ago as the Leadel team was gearing up to attend the President’s Conference in Jerusalem and one Ray Kurzweil was to be featured. I decided I would take a step out from behind the camera, the producing, and all else to have a crack at sitting in the interviewer’s chair. It was my first time interviewing for the site and it was a bit nerve-wracking I must admit. Yet even with the short amount of time we had, I was able to ask Ray most of the questions I had lined up. Overall it was a success and off-camera he was very friendly and down to earth.

 
 
Talking about the future always gets me excited because the possibilities are endless. Especially in the avenue of technology, where we have come so far in such a short amount of time. Now I look forward to Ray’s interview being edited, and perhaps I can introduce Ray Kurzweil to all our viewers and instill some of that excitement in the future that he brings.
Be on the lookout for Leadel.NET’s spotlight on Ray Kurzweil in the coming months. In the meantime, check out www.kurzweiltech.com