[ExI] Is AGI development going to destroy humanity?

[spike at rainier66.com]

-----Original Message-----
From: extropy-chat <extropy-chat-bounces at lists.extropy.org> On Behalf Of
BillK via extropy-chat
Sent: Saturday, 2 April, 2022 4:03 AM
To: Extropy Chat <extropy-chat at lists.extropy.org>
Cc: BillK <pharos at gmail.com>
Subject: [ExI] Is AGI development going to destroy humanity?

MIRI announces new "Death With Dignity" strategy
by Eliezer Yudkowsky       2nd Apr 2022

>...

<https://www.lesswrong.com/posts/j9Q8bRmwCgXRYAgcJ/miri-announces-new-death-
with-dignity-strategy>

>...(This article doesn't appear to be an April Fool's joke. Eliezer seems
to have reached the conclusion that AGI development is going to
destroy humanity.   BillK)

Quotes:
>...It's obvious at this point that humanity isn't going to solve the
alignment problem, or even try very hard, or even go out with much of a
fight.  Since survival is unattainable, we should shift the focus of our
efforts to helping humanity die with slightly more dignity...
--------------

BillK
_______________________________________________



BillK, this article is classic Eliezer.  We have known him personally since
we first met him at a local Foresight Institute conference when he was 18,
which has been 24 years ago.  He is far more convinced than most of us that
unfriendly AI will destroy humanity.  He made a number of converts to that
view, including some bright stars on ExI, however I am not among them.  I am
very impressed with his talent and writing skills, his analysis and so
forth, but I have reasons to doubt the notion of unfriendly AI destroying
humanity.

I am eager to discuss the notion in this forum, as we did extensively in the
90s, for we have a lot more data now, including a critical one: that BI
(biological intelligence as opposed to artificial) has tried software
weapons of mass destruction and are trying it constantly, however... we are
still here, stubborn survivors insisting we are getting better:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jdf5EXo6I68

as some clearly talented AI experts continue promoting their own plausible
theory, like Ann Elk.

I can see bigger threats to humanity than runaway unfriendly AI, but none of
these threats will destroy all of humankind.  In all of the grim scenarios I
can easily foresee, most of the African continent survives.

spike