What does the rapid advance of Artificial Intelligence mean for humanity?

Artificial Intelligence has always been hyped by its often charismatic enthusiasts; lately it seems that the hype may be coming true. Media pundits, technologists, and increasingly the broader public see the rise of artificial intelligence as inevitable. Companies with mass data fed into AI systems — like Google, Facebook, Yahoo, and others — make headlines with technological successes that were science fiction even a decade ago: we can talk to our phones, get recommendations that are person...