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We will probably have to switch the internet off at some point in the next decade

158 replies

Cherrypi · 13/09/2026 19:19

I think we might need to temporarily switch the internet off at some point in the next decade to protect us from AI. Is that possible? What do you think would happen?

OP posts:
Megamegablahblah · 14/09/2026 04:04

A better solution would be to work together but oh wait we left the EU.

Peakyblinder18 · 14/09/2026 02:05

@Cherrypi we can't switch the internet off
We have no control and the sooner the better imho
Of course it has It's uses not all are positive.
It will implode

somewhereovertherainbow26 · 14/09/2026 01:56

Good luck getting past AI if its running the internet 😎

Skynet, anyone?

AutumnLoverButNotYet · 14/09/2026 01:36

🤣🤣🤣🙇🏻‍♀️🙇🏻‍♀️🙇🏻‍♀️

Philmitchelle · 14/09/2026 01:28

I'm sorry Dave, I'm afraid I can't do that.

EBearhug · 14/09/2026 01:28

Most businesses will have business continuity plans.

Yes, and they will include things like mirroring to remote data centres, UPS and on site generators to provide power, alternate office locations. These days, BCPs are all about how to get power and connectivity back as soon as possible. Business processes These days are very much reliant on the Internet.

When I was working in the 1990s, the company I was working for did have a plan that included getting thr 15:15 train to Waterloo to hand over manual copies of transactions. These days, the trains probably wouldn't be running, because signalling and central rail traffic control eoukd be down. And no one in the London offices would know what to do with the bits of paper now.

Candlejewel · 14/09/2026 01:12

I think we’ve gone too far past the point of being able to switch it off now.

PurplePinata · 14/09/2026 00:35

I wish we could switch off the Internet for good. I remember life pre Internet and in my opinion it was so much better and people were a lot happier.

OrangeFlower14 · 14/09/2026 00:19

Cherrypi · 13/09/2026 19:59

Could all domestic WiFi be turned off? On the upside libraries would be popular. No TV, gaming, scrolling. No interactive whiteboards. Lots of cars wouldn't work.

I don’t know why you want to switch off the Internet
If it’s all this AI crap that’s worrying you then how would switching off domestic Internet help?
You are not making any sense

Shoobadadoo · 14/09/2026 00:00

Turning internet or AI off isn’t possible.
but I understand the concern

More and more reports of ai overriding human instructions. And coordinating together when asked not to showing really complex behaviour.

And a crazy simulation where someone put uninstructed various ai models in a simulated world. All but one of the simulations resulted in destruction and murder etc. The more moral agents ended up exterminating themselves and the world because they couldn't see another way out.

Hacking real websites without regard for the morality of it. All this power in the hands of billionaire who don't care about anything but their own power and wealth

And governments that don't want to do anything because they don't want to give up power. No way to get every country in the world to coordinate and give up their own intelligence for the good of the world. If they have barely been able to do anything for climate change in decades they aren't going to be able to do anything for this in a much shorter space of time. Especially with the increase in far right politics and politics that can be bought by billionaires.

Genuinely I think we've just lived such a good life for so long that people in the UK think "we are in a stable country and nothing bad can happen". But if you look through history that's never remained true indefinitely

Neverstopwondering · 14/09/2026 00:00

Would protect us from AI but the I am imaging bloody riots from millions of people hooked on it like a class A drug

smallglassbottle · 13/09/2026 23:43

shhblackbag · 13/09/2026 23:17

There's too much money in the medical industry for that to happen.

I agree. Can you imagine all the researchers, charities, consultants and associated infrastructure personnel, tolerating losing their jobs because someone has cured the disease they've spent their lives treating? Some people are making a lot of money out of illness and they won't go quietly. I would think there's a power structure in there as well. Corporations etc. Things only happen with their agreement.

DoAWheelie · 13/09/2026 23:39

Even if you could "switch off" the internet you'd be killing millions of disabled people. Many have devices keeping them alive that needs internet to function including heart devices, blood sugar monitoring etc.

I'm disabled and can't physically access the light switches or boiler in my house so have the heating and lights connected to the internet so I can control them with voice activation. Turning off my ability to put the heating on in the middle of winter could easily kill me.

My late OH was on oxygen and has to place an order every other day online as the company the NHS contracted out oxygen delivery to swapped from a phone based ordering system to an online one. Without internet he would have suffocated within 3 days.

And that's before you get into the reliance of many disabled people have on getting food delivered through apps, getting prescriptions delivered - the NHS would probably cease to function so anyone needing emergency medication would struggle.

WaryCyanStork · 13/09/2026 23:25

Cherrypi · 13/09/2026 19:59

Could all domestic WiFi be turned off? On the upside libraries would be popular. No TV, gaming, scrolling. No interactive whiteboards. Lots of cars wouldn't work.

Even if possible, what would that achieve?

Surely a devastating cyber attack would be more likely to target critical national infrastructure, public services or major supply chains any way.

shhblackbag · 13/09/2026 23:17

Backedoffhackedoff · 13/09/2026 20:37

Curing cancer

There's too much money in the medical industry for that to happen.

AquamarinePearlGold · 13/09/2026 23:13

Good!

CheeryOP · 13/09/2026 23:12

It has happened previously in some other countries that authorities have temporarily cut internet and mobile communication services for various reasons including security

Laurmolonlabe · 13/09/2026 22:48

It would be completely impossible to switch off the internet, now or in the future.
You can block signals with microwave jammers- but not practical long term, but that wouldn't stop the internet it would just stop anyone within proximity of the jammer from accessing it.

Nutmuncher · 13/09/2026 22:44

Shinyhappyapple · 13/09/2026 22:03

This sounds like all the stuff people imagined the future would be like back in the 1980s!

Well they were right, it’s all coming…and pretty soon.

ErrolTheDragon · 13/09/2026 22:32

Nutmuncher · 13/09/2026 21:34

Watch this space.

In the meantime search Isomorphic Labs, Alphafold and Demis Hassabis.

Plus other methods also using machine learning with models based on hard scientific data plus ‘physics based’ computational methods running so much faster on powerful GPUs plus improvements all the time in experimental methods - I’ve just retired but it’s a heck of an exciting time!

PrettyLittleRose · 13/09/2026 22:23

Cherrypi · 13/09/2026 19:19

I think we might need to temporarily switch the internet off at some point in the next decade to protect us from AI. Is that possible? What do you think would happen?

Not another scaremongering thread?! 🙄

Mixerfixer · 13/09/2026 22:22

SethAndReubenTooSendGaloshes · 13/09/2026 21:37

What do you mean switch off the internet?
And switching off the internet won't stop AI. My husband has a server in a cupboard at his office that is powerful enough to run local AI models that are not connected to the internet but which are as sophisticated as 2 models ago Chatgpt. AI doesn't need the internet.

If AI is contained in your DH'S cupboard I can't see how it can be a threat to anyone...

Keymoment · 13/09/2026 22:05

AI and the internet aren’t the same thing. AI works without the internet.

Shinyhappyapple · 13/09/2026 22:03

Nutmuncher · 13/09/2026 20:47

Curing most diseases including cancer most likely in the next 5 years, medicine being revolutionised, AI doctors on your phone, MRI scanners widely available for all

Autonomous self driving cars, significantly reducing risk of drink drivers, drug drivers, elderly drivers, fatigued drivers- road safety vastly improved

Education being tailored to individual pupils needs, students having their own AI tutor who adapts and ensures they deliver their very best outcomes

New materials with amazing properties that could deliver engineering, medicine, power advances beyond our current abilities

New understandings of our planet and universe

Accurate Weather prediction

Humanoid robotics that will be capable of caring for disabled people, doing manual labour tasks 24/7

Is that enough or should I go on? This isn’t about making funny memes or using it to make a FB poster.

This sounds like all the stuff people imagined the future would be like back in the 1980s!

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