Whether the singularity occurs or not, just the expectation of it could significantly change human behavior, says James Miller, associate professor of economics at Smith College, speaking at the Singularity Summit.

As more people believe in the singularity, they are likely to save less for retirement and change the way they invest leading to higher interest rates and different mortgage patterns, among other things he says.

“Believers will also want to spend more money to increase their chances of making it to the singularity with things such as safer cars and machines that make jobs such as construction safer,” he says.