4 ms·

Not-joking answer: James Cameron. Before him, Stanley Kubrick. Our cultural headspace has been primed to see killer robot AI, so we see killer robot AI. Whic

Not-joking answer: James Cameron. Before him, Stanley Kubrick. Our cultural headspace has been primed to see killer robot AI, so we see killer robot AI. Which is not to downplay AGI risk per se- it's a powerful tool, and powerful anything can be dangerous. But the uniquely foomy paperclip maximizer fear? That's a cultural attractor from the bay area through and through.

mitthrowaway2 4y ago
Are you sure such movies weren't just written because a plausible premise is more compelling than an implausible one?
- Baeocystin 4y ago
  I am certain that perceptions of AI/robotic danger are more cultural, emotional reactions that reasoned ones, if that helps. Some papers for your perusal: Cross-Cultural Differences in Comfort with Humanlike Robots: https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/s12369-022-00920-y.pdf https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/s12369-022-009... Culture and Attitude Towards Robots: https://eprints.mdx.ac.uk/25209/1/JNS_Review%20Manuscript_Revision2_Final.pdf https://eprints.mdx.ac.uk/25209/1/JNS_Review%20Manuscript_Re... These are just a couple of quick links I found that weren't behind paywalls, to illustrate how culturally-bound these types of perceptions are.
  - mitthrowaway2 4y ago
    Interesting. By contrast, it's pretty rare for people expressing concerns about AI alignment risk to mention robots, let alone humanoid robots. Eliezer Yudkowsky usually offers the example of an AI emailing instructions to a biotech lab to synthesize a deadly virus.
    - Baeocystin 4y ago
      My personal opinion: because robots exist in the physical world, and are physical things. Physical things, even scary ones, can be Dealt With. Conversely, true fear of paperclip maximizers seem, to me, to be most prevalent as an anxiety response in certain mindsets to the threat of the unknown, sharper because this particular Unknown (AGI) intrudes directly in to where they source the basis for their ego, which is thought. In other words, it's a strong fear reaction based off of potential loss of status for a certain group of intellectuals. I do not judge that, by the way. We are all human, and social status is part and parcel of what we are. I mention it only because I think it is a better model than taking any of the (ones I have read, at least) foom fears at face value.
- c-cube 4y ago
  So, based on this line of reasoning, do you think zombies are an realistic danger in our near future? A lot of films have certainly been made on the subject.

mitthrowaway2 4y ago

Are you sure such movies weren't just written because a plausible premise is more compelling than an implausible one?

Baeocystin 4y ago
I am certain that perceptions of AI/robotic danger are more cultural, emotional reactions that reasoned ones, if that helps. Some papers for your perusal: Cross-Cultural Differences in Comfort with Humanlike Robots: https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/s12369-022-00920-y.pdf https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/s12369-022-009... Culture and Attitude Towards Robots: https://eprints.mdx.ac.uk/25209/1/JNS_Review%20Manuscript_Revision2_Final.pdf https://eprints.mdx.ac.uk/25209/1/JNS_Review%20Manuscript_Re... These are just a couple of quick links I found that weren't behind paywalls, to illustrate how culturally-bound these types of perceptions are.
- mitthrowaway2 4y ago
  Interesting. By contrast, it's pretty rare for people expressing concerns about AI alignment risk to mention robots, let alone humanoid robots. Eliezer Yudkowsky usually offers the example of an AI emailing instructions to a biotech lab to synthesize a deadly virus.
  - Baeocystin 4y ago
    My personal opinion: because robots exist in the physical world, and are physical things. Physical things, even scary ones, can be Dealt With. Conversely, true fear of paperclip maximizers seem, to me, to be most prevalent as an anxiety response in certain mindsets to the threat of the unknown, sharper because this particular Unknown (AGI) intrudes directly in to where they source the basis for their ego, which is thought. In other words, it's a strong fear reaction based off of potential loss of status for a certain group of intellectuals. I do not judge that, by the way. We are all human, and social status is part and parcel of what we are. I mention it only because I think it is a better model than taking any of the (ones I have read, at least) foom fears at face value.
c-cube 4y ago
So, based on this line of reasoning, do you think zombies are an realistic danger in our near future? A lot of films have certainly been made on the subject.