Potential 6 month warning until the end

[Frombeyond]

So, we potentially only have 6 months until the end of civilised society and mass deaths. I’m terrified and sad

AI staff 'genuinely frightened' for humanity's future, ex-Anthropic researcher tells BBC www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c1kx0gyje9wo

OpenAI has called off its float because it is not making any money and can't make any money because it's prices are too low!

It can't afford anyone to look at its accounts because it doesn't have a money making business.

What countries didn't do lockdown?

Here you go, @placemats: https://www.bbc.co.uk/future/article/20250304-the-countries-that-never-locked-down-for-covid-19

We hardly need to look at "other countries" though; I can think of entire areas in this one - some of them local to me - where lockdowns were roundly ignored and enforcement not even attempted, and I'm told that outcomes there differed very little to anywhere else

It’s part of a broader arm-wrestle between Washington and Beijing - I see it in my role.

Quantum computing, chip development, sub-orbital weaponry, physical control of rare earths etc.

The world is already in grey/hybrid conflict. Anyone who thinks otherwise, should reconsider.

I have not read the essay but I have read many times that China is unleash ai with no ethical thoughts we are and anyone can get hold of it now and use it for any bad means.

It's like a nuclear arms race

@Greyrock79 that race is going on in many African countries also with China and America trying to muscle in

Absolutely.

And they will create cheap/free agents to ‘scorch-earth’ for US firms with nose-bleed valuations.

Akin to the EV market - look at the share prices of the German auto makers.

It is.

Copper in DRC etc.

The problem is that even if this particular guy is being alarmist, there's no denying that there are serious risks to creating a highly intelligent being that will focus single-mindedly on a goal, has no capacity for compassion or guilt, and can potentially access nuclear weapons.

AI is so invasive, and its in everything. I think it really does affect how we live. High tech in cars? What that actually does is deskill people. More colloquially, no one can fucking drive properly any more, and you'll see that more and more, that's going to be the real affect of AI. Sure you could try and slw it down, but stop it? No way. Things can't really be forgotten or uninvented. I don't think we're heading for AI armageddon but I do think we're heading for AI hell.

In 25 years I will definitely be dead, probably less, and that's okay - I don't think the future is a land I particularly look forward to living in.

I've been watching this thread all morning and wanted to jump in because I work behind the scenes in digital and AI development for a global organisation.

I really object to headlines designed to terrify people, because there's a much bigger economic and geopolitical story going on here.

The big AI companies are heading towards IPOs (being publicly listed on the stock exchange). AI is still staggeringly expensive and hese companies are burning through billions and not generating any ROI. They can't stand up to real scrutiny 'under the bonnet' (see Alttman has delaying the IPO floatation).

The AI is terrifying/powerful narrative is commercially useful. If this technology really is powerful enough to threaten humanity, it means these companies aren't glorified ChatGPt providers, they are building one of the most important technologies on Earth which creates a different valuation story, and makes this companies worth not just a few billion, but more in the trillions.

Plus, underneath all this - (check with a quick Google search or read any recent Economic issue) is the China AI race and China's quiet domination of Africa, one of the fastest-growing economies on earth, and a continent undergoing massive digital transformation which - hey presto - involves AI.

China spotted the Africa opportunity years ago - not hard. Now Chinese companies provide most of Africa's telecoms infrastructure (70%), the "payment rails" and the digital public infrastructure for stuff like healthcare, finance etc - everything needed to get online (e.g. 48% of infrastructure for data centres etc) As AI gets adopted, African governments more inclined to buy from China rather than from a country that calls them shit-hole states. (My personal view is the US is waking up to this - 2 days ago the US lent 100M to a cell phone operator in Africa, to counter all the Chinese presence)

Hence, I predict over the next couple of weeks, the tide will turn to - oh it's expensive to fix this doomsday scenario and/or we need more money and/or we need more money so we don't lose the AI race to China.

Plus, be critical! Any news story full of both fear + urgency is worth pausing on.

I work in development and all of these stories are non-headline making stories that you will find in the Economist, New Statesman, etc, but that is why the AI doomies are out.

Longest post I've ever written, plus a NC, but I wanted to alleviate some fears

Some of the comments do make me want to encourage people to read more about this.

References to predictive text, AI slop, killer robots and drones, kill switches etc. here honestly feel a bit like someone who's just heard the phrase "nuclear fission chain reaction" talking earnestly about fireworks.

I'd say the people saying not to panic have a good point and are reassuring... except that the number of replies basing that confidence on pretty basic misunderstandings make the whole thread feel a bit unsettling in itself.

People are approaching this from hugely differing levels of understanding of what's even being discussed. And I say this as someone who hadn't a clue until a few hours' fascinated reading over the last week.

It's worth doing - someone posted links a little upthread (thank you!)

What would the consequences be?

I know. I've saved up since I was in my early 20s, and lived a much more frugal life and did without a lot in comparison to my Millennial peers. Didn't do the whole travelling thing, didn't have a car or even have a smart phone until a few years ago (which is very unusual for a Millennial). I'm worried what's going to happen to those savings because at the end of the day they're just a number, but pouring all of it into a dump of a house isn't not appealing either (which is all I can afford). I've thought about buying a very small, limited amount of gold, but that is also not straightforward.

With respect to fiat - it becomes worthless - think Zimbabwe.

You would be facing anarchy - people on the streets etc.

surprise surprise...! Just published today

https://www.foxnews.com/world/could-africa-next-ai-frontier-us-europe-hit-limits

Well, there would be no money. On a personal level, no ATMs would work, internet banking would stop, your savings would be wiped out, your salary wouldn’t be paid, no state benefits would be paid. But the bigger picture is the world economy in general, which would collapse.

I wonder people are starting to withdrew their cash?

Withdrawing cash en masse is a bank run - like Northern Rock pre GFC.

That would precipitate a full blown financial crisis.

Thank you, I'll take Coxon's word for it that everyone agrees with Coxon

It wouldn’t make any difference. There’d be nowhere to spend it because the financial systems would be down. And your cash would be worthless anyway.

On the positive side it will revolutioinse health care , probably cure cancer and solve many health issues. .
It will help DC with Sen and how to learn and be a better personal specific tutor for DC.

Why would China do that though? What is the aim?

Ding ding ding, we have a winner. That is exactly what is happening. And people like the OP are in hysterics.

He might be right. He might be wrong. But regardless, if it happens it happens, and nothing can be done to avoid it. The world is a fractured place. To avoid world destruction, every country needs to be singing from the same hymn sheet, and that’s just never going to happen. There’s so much unrest everywhere that it’s inevitable something will happen, but I’d rather just be oblivious to it all, and just go out with a big bang with no warning.

Do you invest in cry p to Greyrock? Genuinely interested.