[rschneid]

The very specialized things that ASR, NLP, and Image recognition can currently accomplish is very nearly sufficient for creation of lots of autonomous and devastating weaponry. WW-III is a somewhat arbitrary yardstick, but sufficient technology undoubtedly exists today to execute a false-flag hacking debacle that results in serious armed conflict.

The worry shouldn't be generalized AI attempting to exterminate humans like The Matrix but the drastically decreasing dollar cost of causing violent damage to society as facilitated by technology, ANNs and AI. An individuals' martial power and our species' technological advancement have a direct relationship, and I don't see technological advancement slowing down. What's coming up next isn't a singular technology revelation that stabilizes humanity for many years, but an ever-increasing frequency of chaotic events. Technology is beginning to change the economics of violence at all scales.