IMO, the “rapid takeoff” idea should probably be seen as a fundraising ploy. It’s big, scary, and it could conceivably happen—just the kind of thing for stimulating donations.
It seems that SIAI would have more effective methods for fundraising, e.g. simply capitalizing on “Rah Singularity!”. I therefore find this objection somewhat implausible.
See Singularity University and the Singularity Summit. Cheerleading is more effective in raising money (and there are many more things to do in that line), but money to cheerlead and accelerate, not to try to shape outcomes.
It seems that SIAI would have more effective methods for fundraising, e.g. simply capitalizing on “Rah Singularity!”. I therefore find this objection somewhat implausible.
They did originally try the “Rah Singularity” strategy. Only more recently did they switch to using more negative marketing.
See Singularity University and the Singularity Summit. Cheerleading is more effective in raising money (and there are many more things to do in that line), but money to cheerlead and accelerate, not to try to shape outcomes.