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> AI isn't a doomsday cult. It's the epitome of the "Yes, the planet got destroyed. But for a beautiful moment in time we created a lot of value for shareholder

> AI isn't a doomsday cult. It's the epitome of the "Yes, the planet got destroyed. But for a beautiful moment in time we created a lot of value for shareholders" meme in real life. What if the pursuit of real AI is what eventually saves humanity and leads to a utopian rather than dystopian future?

nisa 1y ago
We know what to do. We don't need to wait for some magic AI that's basically learned from books written by humans to tell us what to do. It's all about power structures, capitalism and money. Everyone in the oil business knew in the 80ies. We could probably even figure out how to keep our standard of living but consumerism needs to stop but then capitalism breaks down.
saubeidl 1y ago
That is a pretty big if to be betting the house on. I'm not comfortable with that call being made on my behalf by those with everything to gain from it. The same people that have coincidentally been building doomsday bunkers.
ChrisMarshallNY 1y ago
> utopian rather than dystopian future To that, I must ask: look at the people driving the revolution, and their personal ethics. What future do you think they will provide?
- munksbeer 1y ago
  If you really want me to comment, then I can, but people downvote different opinions on AI here, so it doesn't seem fruitful. I'm an optimist by nature. I probably do err on the side of optimism. But when I look back over history, I see a trend upward in living standards, despite the modern determination to pretend this hasn't happened, or to cherry pick data to prove the opposite, and despite prophecies of doom at almost every step change. I'm inclined to believe that will continue to happen, that regardless of what people personally think of Altman, Zuckerberg, etc, that ultimately, strong AI is inevitable, and that it will be a force for improving our lives. I do not believe we'll be relegated to poor existences, while the captains of AI or whoever the elite are defined to be, live in paradise with robot workers do everything for them. It just makes no sense.
  - ChrisMarshallNY 1y ago
    > people downvote different opinions Not just on AI. Personally, I only downvote stuff that I think coarsens the dialogue. The opinion expressed, is not really relevant. I like living in a world where I'm challenged. I too, am an optimist. I think that AI can have tremendous positive effect. But I also have considerable life experience with the darker corners of human nature, and know exactly how bad it can get (HINT: There's no bottom). Some of the very worst specimens of ... humanity, I guess (for lack of a better term) ... are quite cultured and well-educated. Filed fingernails mean absolutely nothing, when it comes to personal Integrity. A quick shufti through human history, will quickly show that our shared prosperity is merely a recent blip on the screen. Most of history is the 0.01%, living high on the hog, while the 99.99% live in hell, serving the 0.01%. AI can definitely enable that kind of society.
williamdclt 1y ago
None of the incentive structures of our societies are set up to go on this direction. None of the people in power (politically or privately) are trying to make this happen. As you’d expect, we see in practice that this isn’t the direction in which we’re going. I see no reason to expect this technology to save us. We don’t even need AI to save ourselves from dystopia, it’s not been about lack of technology for decades, we need to change our societies structurally _somehow_
nntwozz 1y ago
This thinking is on brand with a cult. Humanity doesn't need saving, it just needs actual humanity.
shafyy 1y ago
What are you, 12 years old and just read a sci fi novel? Or been living under a god damn rock? Sorry, but comments like this make me so fucking angry.
- nisa 1y ago
  It's crazy reading these comments here. We are really living in some dystopian future to some degree. Let's unite and fight. Act local, do what you can and don't lose hope. The Internet is broken. Not sure if it's just brainwashed people commenting here or bots or some societies just embrace destroying everything for profit and capitalism.
  - shafyy 1y ago
    For sure! Just do something, even if it's handing out flyers at your local mall once a month for some good cause.
ohdeargodno 1y ago
Every single major AI company is led by sociopaths drunk on authoritarianism, fascism and borderline theocracy dreams. Needless to say, the utopia plan is going badly.

nisa 1y ago

We know what to do. We don't need to wait for some magic AI that's basically learned from books written by humans to tell us what to do. It's all about power structures, capitalism and money. Everyone in the oil business knew in the 80ies. We could probably even figure out how to keep our standard of living but consumerism needs to stop but then capitalism breaks down.

saubeidl 1y ago

That is a pretty big if to be betting the house on. I'm not comfortable with that call being made on my behalf by those with everything to gain from it. The same people that have coincidentally been building doomsday bunkers.

ChrisMarshallNY 1y ago

> utopian rather than dystopian future To that, I must ask: look at the people driving the revolution, and their personal ethics. What future do you think they will provide?

munksbeer 1y ago
If you really want me to comment, then I can, but people downvote different opinions on AI here, so it doesn't seem fruitful. I'm an optimist by nature. I probably do err on the side of optimism. But when I look back over history, I see a trend upward in living standards, despite the modern determination to pretend this hasn't happened, or to cherry pick data to prove the opposite, and despite prophecies of doom at almost every step change. I'm inclined to believe that will continue to happen, that regardless of what people personally think of Altman, Zuckerberg, etc, that ultimately, strong AI is inevitable, and that it will be a force for improving our lives. I do not believe we'll be relegated to poor existences, while the captains of AI or whoever the elite are defined to be, live in paradise with robot workers do everything for them. It just makes no sense.
- ChrisMarshallNY 1y ago
  > people downvote different opinions Not just on AI. Personally, I only downvote stuff that I think coarsens the dialogue. The opinion expressed, is not really relevant. I like living in a world where I'm challenged. I too, am an optimist. I think that AI can have tremendous positive effect. But I also have considerable life experience with the darker corners of human nature, and know exactly how bad it can get (HINT: There's no bottom). Some of the very worst specimens of ... humanity, I guess (for lack of a better term) ... are quite cultured and well-educated. Filed fingernails mean absolutely nothing, when it comes to personal Integrity. A quick shufti through human history, will quickly show that our shared prosperity is merely a recent blip on the screen. Most of history is the 0.01%, living high on the hog, while the 99.99% live in hell, serving the 0.01%. AI can definitely enable that kind of society.

williamdclt 1y ago

None of the incentive structures of our societies are set up to go on this direction. None of the people in power (politically or privately) are trying to make this happen. As you’d expect, we see in practice that this isn’t the direction in which we’re going. I see no reason to expect this technology to save us. We don’t even need AI to save ourselves from dystopia, it’s not been about lack of technology for decades, we need to change our societies structurally _somehow_

nntwozz 1y ago

This thinking is on brand with a cult. Humanity doesn't need saving, it just needs actual humanity.

shafyy 1y ago

What are you, 12 years old and just read a sci fi novel? Or been living under a god damn rock? Sorry, but comments like this make me so fucking angry.

nisa 1y ago
It's crazy reading these comments here. We are really living in some dystopian future to some degree. Let's unite and fight. Act local, do what you can and don't lose hope. The Internet is broken. Not sure if it's just brainwashed people commenting here or bots or some societies just embrace destroying everything for profit and capitalism.
- shafyy 1y ago
  For sure! Just do something, even if it's handing out flyers at your local mall once a month for some good cause.

ohdeargodno 1y ago

Every single major AI company is led by sociopaths drunk on authoritarianism, fascism and borderline theocracy dreams. Needless to say, the utopia plan is going badly.