Life extension research and transhumanist research go hand in hand.
From Wikipedia: Transhumanism (symbol H+) is a movement supporting the use of science and technology to improve human mental and physical characteristics and capacities. Transhumanists look to biotechnologies and other emerging technologies for these purposes especially human enhancement. Transhumanist thinkers predict that human beings may eventually be able to transform themselves into beings with such greatly expanded abilities as to merit the label ‘posthuman’.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transhumanism
To answer your question: If this came true it would be beneficial for the advancement of science. A superintelligent being might be able to integrate relativity and quantum theory. We might get fusion reactors to work. We might erase poverty and so forth.
Others point out the dangers. A technological singularity might claim Earth for itself.