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AI Experts Sign Open Letter Pledging To Protect Mankind From Machines

Posted by Soulskill on from the i'm-sorry-dave-i-can't-sign-that dept.

hypnosec writes: Artificial intelligence experts from across the globe are signing an open letter urging that AI research should not only be done to make it more capable, but should also proceed in a direction that makes it more robust and beneficial while protecting mankind from machines. The Future of Life Institute, a volunteer-only research organization, has released an open letter imploring that AI does not grow out of control. It's an attempt to alert everyone to the dangers of a machine that could outsmart humans. The letter's concluding remarks (PDF) read: "Success in the quest for artificial intelligence has the potential to bring unprecedented benefits to humanity, and it is therefore worthwhile to research how to maximize these benefits while avoiding potential pitfalls."

1 of 258 comments (clear)

  1. Are you afraid? by Okian+Warrior · · Score: 0, Troll

    I'm an AI researcher working on strong AI.

    I've wrestled with the morality of making a breakthrough that causes all sorts of mayhem - from changing the economics of getting paid to do work, to making humans superfluous, to starting a terminator-like utopian future. (Or was that distopian? I can never keep those words straight.)

    I've asked on this very forum whether a researcher should forego publishing, with the example case of Leo Szilard, who might have put off development of the atomic bomb for decades (possibly indefinitely) by not publishing.

    The results were a little surprising. "Yeah - go for it!" 'kinda sums up both the position and strength of the response.

    So now I basically don't care about the morality - I mean, why should I when to all appearances no one else does? Will the military worry about the humanity of applying AI to weapons? Will the lawmakers worry about the humanity of applying AI to business? Will the nameless bureaucrats worry about humanity when making regulations about AI?

    I'm working towards the downfall and subjugation of the human race, and loving it. Sort of like a James Bond villain, or at least working for one.

    If you (meaning: the "royal you", or humanity) don't care enough about yourselves to practice morality, then why should I?

    (If anyone has a counter to this position, I'd love to hear it. Note that "just stating your position" is not a counter argument.)