Engines of creation 2.0: The coming era of nanotechnology

Abstract

Molecular nanotechnology is a revolutionary technology that will transform the world, its impact rivaling that of antibiotics, the Industrial Revolution, and nuclear weapons. Molecular assemblers, devices able to build complex objects with atom-by-atom precision, are a fundamental prerequisite for molecular nanotechnology. The feasibility of such technology is grounded in the existence of molecular machines within living organisms, the demonstrated ability of chemists to synthesize complex molecules, and the principles of physics. Replicating assemblers, capable of building copies of themselves, will be able to build almost anything from common raw materials, including more assemblers. They will transform the economy, leading to the production of a wide variety of products with negligible labor costs. The ability of these assemblers to manipulate atoms will also have profound implications for medicine, enabling the repair of cells and tissues, with a potential for indefinite life extension. However, molecular nanotechnology also poses serious risks. Uncontrolled replicators could destroy life as we know it. Replicators and AI systems, could be used as weapons of mass destruction, capable of unleashing devastation at a scale rivaling that of nuclear weapons. The development of molecular nanotechnology will require the development of new institutions and strategies to ensure its responsible use and protect the future of humanity. – AI-generated abstract.