Wess DanielsFeb 23

Listening to the current #hardfork episode. I really hope Anthropic continues to refuse the military what it is asking for.

While I’m leery of AI, I appreciate the ways in which Anthropic has tried to stick to their principles unlike other AI companies.

What are others thinking about this episode?

https://overcast.fm/+AAm_rqqmL7I

The Pentagon vs. Anthropic + An A.I. Agent Slandered Me + Hot Mess Express — Hard Fork

This would be an unprecedented escalation against a U.S. company.

Show threadbenFeb 23

@wess Often I get the impression that their principles are part of the marketing. (Exaggerating the danger of AI in order to emphasise/exaggerate the capability of AI.)

In this case though I think that even if their reasoning is flawed, preventing military use is important.

Show threadWess DanielsFeb 23
@benjamineskola I think you're probably right about that and I do see the ways in which it is meant to distinguish from the competitors. And totally, whatever the reasons, it's important to hold ground. And I hope they do. It also means that the other companies have very likely already given in to those demands?
Show threadbenFeb 23
@wess yes, big tech in general seems pretty comfortable with US militarism. Anthropic seems like an outlier.
Show threadben
@wess having said that: I’ve also just been reminded that the way Anthropic has phrased their objection (or part of it) is that they do not want their products to be used ‘to spy on Americans’, which as a non-American isn’t very reassuring.
Feb 23 at 2:11pmWeb
Show threadgnaddrigFeb 23

@benjamineskola @wess

Completely in line with US tradition - human rights, due process and such things are only guaranteed (well, to some extent) inside the US. Outside the US, all bets are off and have always been. Ask the inmates of Guantanamo, Abu-Ghuraib, various dark sites the CIA ran in a number of countries, or the many people killed in one of the countless wars the US started or involved their army in since the end of WW2. Spying on non-USians doesn't even register on the radar...

Show threadWess DanielsFeb 23
@benjamineskola As the kids say, clocked.