Is this the tech world’s equivalent of flat earth theorists? There are firm believers in the simulation hypothesis, which proposes that we are all living within a giant computer simulation like the Matrix, created by super-advanced AIs. This simulation would be so advanced that it cannot be distinguished – down to a molecular level – from the real world.

It's reasonably popular within the tech industry: SpaceX founder Elon Musk has previously stated he believes we are living in a simulation. Meanwhile, George Hotz, one of the first hackers to unlock the iPhone, jumped the shark by giving a talk at SXSW on "jailbreaking" the simulation.

Reach God

Hotz talks about jailbreaking or hacking the simulated world in order to reach “God” or whoever created it and talks about how he might set up a church to “realign society’s efforts toward getting out [of the simulation]”.

Philosophically speaking, the simulation hypothesis is intriguing. It’s just worrying when Silicon Valley types have already decided it is real and begin to preach about hacking or optimising it with a side order of religious cult. There’s already a Way of the Future Church that wants to help with the transition when machines take charge of the planet. I, for one, welcome our machine overlords.

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