Hacker News new | ask | show | jobs
by maizeq 1088 days ago
I work in a AI research lab for a large tech company and my observations are completely opposed to yours.

Almost every researcher I have spoken believes that real risk exists, to some degree or other. Recent surveys of people in industry have largely borne this out - your anecdote sounds more like an anomaly to me.
2 comments
ke88y 1088 days ago
> real risk exists, to some degree or other

Risk of extinction? Or of bad outcomes?

I think everyone understands there are near-certain risks of bad outcomes. That's already happening all around us. Totally uncontroversial.

My post was about risk of extinction due to AI (x-risk), and risk of extinction due in particular to run-away AGI (as opposed to eg shit software accidentally launching a nuke, which isn't really an AI-specific concern). I think that view is still pretty eccentric. But please lmk if that's what you meant.

I've been at several ai labs and large corps. You at deepmind or openai by any chance? Just a guess ;)

link
akomtu 1088 days ago
It doesn't take a PhD to see where it goes. Once good enough AI is built, and we're close to that, it will be replicated by China, Russia and other big dictatorships. What would Russian dictator give for an AI that can lead his army with surgical precision? He would do anything. Other nations will have to follow. There won't be benevolent committees deciding how to use AI for good, it will be about survival. And it's going to take a miracle to avoid this scenario.
link
Borrible 1088 days ago
>What would Russian dictator give for an AI that can lead his army with surgical precision

Still needs surgical instruments.

But more important, patients that do not defend themselves with claws, teeth and AI.

link
ke88y 1088 days ago
Nope. All it takes is a sci-fi essayist. /s
link