3 ms·

Think of how we treat ants or cockroaches. If they at all inconvenience us or even appear in our home, we kill them. We go as far as developing specialized pois

by pstorm 4y ago

Think of how we treat ants or cockroaches. If they at all inconvenience us or even appear in our home, we kill them. We go as far as developing specialized poisons they take back to their nests to try to kill the whole colony. It isn't hard to envision a future where the intelligence gap between humans and AI is closer to humans vs ants than humans vs dogs.

csdvrx 4y ago
I don't know about how you treat ants or cockroaches, but personally I've purchased a bugcatcher: it's a device you hold in the hand, with a magnifier on top and a sliding door on the bottom. If an insect disturbs me, I put it in the bugcatcher. I can look at it for a minute to check it's not a dangerous species (ex: black widow spider), then I go in the garden where I release it. > It isn't hard to envision a future where the intelligence gap between humans and AI is closer to humans vs ants than humans vs dogs Again, you are focusing on the most extreme scenario: large gap + inherent lack of empathy. I care about bugs, and I do my best not to kill them. Why would AI behave more like in your doomsday scenario than in my more mellow scenario?
- allturtles 4y ago
  > I care about bugs, and I do my best not to kill them. You are an outlier, I'd rather not bet the future of humanity on all artificial intelligences being Francis of Assisis. > Why would AI behave more like in your doomsday scenario than in my more mellow scenario? Well maybe they wouldn't. But why risk it?
  - csdvrx 4y ago
    > Well maybe they wouldn't. But why risk it? If only because we haven't found sentient aliens yet, so it might be our best chance to feel less lonely in this universe! Also, I believe the more sentient beings, the better! We could fit a whole lot more of people on this earth, helping advance technology and progress!
- pstorm 4y ago
  I think I have the same bug catcher! No matter how we treat bugs, humans as a whole kill a heck of a lot of bugs. Even unintentionally, like by driving our cars or destroying habitats. While I will conceed that there is some doomsday thinking going on, I don't think it is unreasonable to spend relatively more time thinking about the scenarios that could be most harmful. I would rather humanity overindex a little on exploring the life threatening scenario vs how great the infinite Seinfeld episode is. But to each there own!
  - csdvrx 4y ago
    > I think I have the same bug catcher! Congrats then! It was my best purchase of 2022. I used to cry and feel gloomy for a few days when having to kill a large bug I feared could be deadly, but not anymore! As for driving etc., personally I would prefer to spend more brain cycles into making the world less dangerous for other species. We are not alone on this planet, so why can't we make cars less shaped like bricks and more aerodynamic? They would kill fewer bugs and be nicer looking too! As for the natural habitats, we have made a lot of progress: a single protected species can delay construction work for decades! There may be some abuses, but I believe we are trending in the right direction for the long term!
goatlover 4y ago
Like how in the Expanse, Holden compares human civilization to an ant hill being paved over by a highway.
- euroderf 4y ago
  A-ha, the elusive connection to Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy.
midoridensha 4y ago
The new AI overlords will probably come to regard humans as more like mosquitos or ticks, or perhaps various invasive species that we kill on sight because of how much they can damage the ecosystem and native species. Or if we extend the pet analogy, how many people really want to keep a bloodthirsty, violent dog in their home? Those pets usually get euthanized quickly, for good reason. Humans are extremely dangerous and violent, so logically the AI will want to either eliminate them or neuter them somehow.

by pstorm 4y ago

csdvrx 4y ago

I don't know about how you treat ants or cockroaches, but personally I've purchased a bugcatcher: it's a device you hold in the hand, with a magnifier on top and a sliding door on the bottom. If an insect disturbs me, I put it in the bugcatcher. I can look at it for a minute to check it's not a dangerous species (ex: black widow spider), then I go in the garden where I release it. > It isn't hard to envision a future where the intelligence gap between humans and AI is closer to humans vs ants than humans vs dogs Again, you are focusing on the most extreme scenario: large gap + inherent lack of empathy. I care about bugs, and I do my best not to kill them. Why would AI behave more like in your doomsday scenario than in my more mellow scenario?

allturtles 4y ago
> I care about bugs, and I do my best not to kill them. You are an outlier, I'd rather not bet the future of humanity on all artificial intelligences being Francis of Assisis. > Why would AI behave more like in your doomsday scenario than in my more mellow scenario? Well maybe they wouldn't. But why risk it?
- csdvrx 4y ago
  > Well maybe they wouldn't. But why risk it? If only because we haven't found sentient aliens yet, so it might be our best chance to feel less lonely in this universe! Also, I believe the more sentient beings, the better! We could fit a whole lot more of people on this earth, helping advance technology and progress!
pstorm 4y ago
I think I have the same bug catcher! No matter how we treat bugs, humans as a whole kill a heck of a lot of bugs. Even unintentionally, like by driving our cars or destroying habitats. While I will conceed that there is some doomsday thinking going on, I don't think it is unreasonable to spend relatively more time thinking about the scenarios that could be most harmful. I would rather humanity overindex a little on exploring the life threatening scenario vs how great the infinite Seinfeld episode is. But to each there own!
- csdvrx 4y ago
  > I think I have the same bug catcher! Congrats then! It was my best purchase of 2022. I used to cry and feel gloomy for a few days when having to kill a large bug I feared could be deadly, but not anymore! As for driving etc., personally I would prefer to spend more brain cycles into making the world less dangerous for other species. We are not alone on this planet, so why can't we make cars less shaped like bricks and more aerodynamic? They would kill fewer bugs and be nicer looking too! As for the natural habitats, we have made a lot of progress: a single protected species can delay construction work for decades! There may be some abuses, but I believe we are trending in the right direction for the long term!

goatlover 4y ago

Like how in the Expanse, Holden compares human civilization to an ant hill being paved over by a highway.

euroderf 4y ago
A-ha, the elusive connection to Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy.

midoridensha 4y ago

The new AI overlords will probably come to regard humans as more like mosquitos or ticks, or perhaps various invasive species that we kill on sight because of how much they can damage the ecosystem and native species. Or if we extend the pet analogy, how many people really want to keep a bloodthirsty, violent dog in their home? Those pets usually get euthanized quickly, for good reason. Humans are extremely dangerous and violent, so logically the AI will want to either eliminate them or neuter them somehow.