Ironically, I think the best way to deal with terms in the book you don't understand is to just ask chatgpt to explain it to you. Either by giving it an excerpt, asking it to define a word, or asking it about the book, eg "in the singularity is near, what does Kurzweil mean by algorithmic improvements outpacing hardware?"

Btw this is ChatGPTs answer:

> In "The Singularity is Near," Ray Kurzweil argues that we are approaching a point in the future where machine intelligence will surpass human intelligence, an event he refers to as the "Singularity." Kurzweil suggests that this rapid advance of technology will be driven by two major factors: the exponential growth of computing power and the development of more advanced algorithms.

> Regarding the concept of "algorithmic improvements outpacing hardware," Kurzweil is referring to the fact that the speed and power of computers are not the only factors that determine their capabilities. The software, or the algorithms that run on the hardware, also play a crucial role in what computers can accomplish.

> Kurzweil argues that as we continue to develop better algorithms, we will be able to do more with the same amount of computing power, or even less. This means that even if we reach a point where we cannot continue to improve the hardware, the development of more advanced algorithms will still enable us to create machines that are more intelligent and capable.

> Therefore, Kurzweil's idea of "algorithmic improvements outpacing hardware" suggests that the development of better algorithms will be a key factor in driving the progress of machine intelligence, even if we reach limits in terms of hardware capabilities.