not to be confused with vinge’s singularity. “note that I am not using the term “panopticon singularity” in the same sense as vinge’s Singularity which describes the emergence of strongly superhuman intelligence through either artificial intelligence breakthroughs or progress in augmenting human intelligence, but in a new sense: the emergence of a situation in which human behavior is deterministically governed by processes outside human control. to give an example: currently it is illegal to smoke cannabis, but many people do so. after a panopticon singularity, it will not only be illegal but impossible.” i see.