Dr. Damien P. Williams, MagusMay 30, 2023

There's yet another "AI will kill us all! It poses a risk of extinction!" letter going around, and I just… Y'all i am just so fucking tired.

CAPITALISM poses risk of extinction (climate change, right the fuck now).

WHITE SUPREMACY poses risk of extinction (genocide, eugenics).

HEGEMONY poses risk of extinction (nuclear FUCKING WAR).

And whatever "risk of extinction" "AI" poses, it poses because it is BUILT FROM THOSE EXTREMELY HUMAN VALUES.

Even if you stopped every "AI" project running, RIGHT THIS SECOND, those values would still kill us. And no matter how long you "pause" your "AI" projects, if you don't address those values? Then when you start your "AI" back up? You'll KEEP BUILDING THOSE SAME VALUES IN.

This is not hard. At this point, as much as it pains me to say it, it's not even novel. And yet you're still not fucking getting it.

I'm so goddam tired.

Show threadDr. Damien P. Williams, MagusMay 30, 2023
Here. I've already said all this. Been saying it for damn near 20 years. Tired. Fucking wearied.
https://afutureworththinkingabout.com/?page_id=5038
Curriculum Vitae | A Future Worth Thinking About

Show threadDr. Damien P. Williams, MagusMay 30, 2023

Even if we take these dudes at their word that they really believe this, then regardless of mechanism, even "AI" would only think to kill us all because we— humans— modeled that to it as something to learn from and emulate.

And these dudes genuinely refuse to grapple with that fact

Show threadDr. Damien P. Williams, Magus
"Object Lessons in Freedom":
https://afutureworththinkingabout.com/?p=4906
Object Lessons in Freedom | A Future Worth Thinking About

May 30, 2023 at 4:33pmWeb
Show threadDr. Damien P. Williams, MagusMay 30, 2023
'"Any Sufficiently Advanced Neglect is Indistinguishable from Malice': Assumptions and Bias in Algorithmic Systems':
https://afutureworththinkingabout.com/?p=5442
Show threadhko 😷🪁May 30, 2023

@Wolven whoa! that title alone is 🔥🔥

that will definitely be living in my mind for a long time. (hoping to listen to the audio soon)

Show threadDr. Damien P. Williams, MagusMay 30, 2023
@hko the first half of that title is me quoting @debcha
Show threadhko 😷🪁May 30, 2023
@Wolven @debcha it's an absolutely inspired turn of phrase, kudos to both of you!
Show threadDeb ChachraMay 31, 2023
@Wolven @hko thank you!
Show threadInspiredJun 3, 2023

I wasn't aware of the many variations on Clarke's third law and I think this is the best I've seen. Definitely a useful construct and cuts through the bullshit. "It quacks like a duck."

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clarke%27s_three_laws

Clarke's three laws - Wikipedia

Show threadVesna ManojlovićJun 6, 2023
@Wolven from 2015!
Show threadWarmth HighestJun 6, 2023
@Wolven what a fantastic blog 🤩
Show threadDr. Damien P. Williams, MagusJun 6, 2023
@WarmthHighest2 thank you