I agree and look at three different lines of accelerated evolution.

1) What I call the mass mind--our collective evolution which includes what Stephen Hawking is talking about. The acceleration of global communication, mass storage, and searching which effectively creates a mass mind and nervous system our examples of this.

2) The novel creation of artificial intelligences. Currently, most our narrowly focused, but general AI should approach human level in the next 20 years. Brain simulations are projected to be capable of simulating the human cortex within 10 years or so.

3) Self evolution of our own DNA. Genetic engineering capability is accelerating and becoming more automated. Directed modification of our own DNA is already nascently possible. Eventually, we will be building biological lifeforms from the ground up.

Of course every possible hybrid of all of the above will also happen. I expect we will seed colonies off planet and then it will get really interesting as evolutionary lines potentially diverge (and maybe compete).