[ExI] Godwin's Law - Ammended (sic)

Keith Henson hkeithhenson at gmail.com
Wed Mar 11 19:41:08 UTC 2026


"designing a graduate studies program"

Lots of luck.  It will have to be mostly self-directed since there is
nobody yet who can teach the history of how the singularity went.

Spike, it doesn't matter what people want.  The situation with respect
to AI development is like an avalanche.  There is no possibility of
stopping it or even regulating it in any meaningful way.  You can't
even get out of the way.

Put another way, AI developments are happening faster than human
institutions can react.  That should not surprise us since we have
been aware of the singularity longer than just about anyone.

Keith

On Wed, Mar 11, 2026 at 12:23 PM <spike at rainier66.com> wrote:
>
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Keith Henson <hkeithhenson at gmail.com>
>
>
> >...The closest analogy to building an AI I can think of is raising a child who is a lot smarter than you are.  There is no chance you can maintain control over the child as it grows up.  Since you are a parent, I am sure you understand this.
>
> Keith
>
> I do.  The interesting part is that my son is designing a graduate studies program, being nearly finished with undergrad studies in EE and CS (hybrid double major, one degree.)  The focus of his research is in AI safety and control.  The CS people have witnessed the transformation of AI capability in the last three years.  They know AI damn well is an existential risk to humanity.  Our children want to live too.  And they want jobs, other than physical labor.
>
> Fun aside: Rasmussen did a poll of Americans on whether or not AI should be regulated.
>
> Wording of the question:
>
> 3* Which is closer to your opinion, that the government needs to regulate artificial intelligence technology, or that the government needs to stay out of the way and let the free market decide about artificial intelligence?
>
> Outcome: 61% government regulation yes, 25% government regulation no, 13% not sure.
>
> That is a more one-sided opinion than is common.
>
> spike
>



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