Wolfram’s ideas absolutely are under-appreciated but he’s also a questionable spokesman for them.
The most important things he brings to the table, imho, are a more deliberate exploration on how simple mathematical precursors can lead to immense complexity (and order) in reality and the notion that if we really, rationally, want to survive the intelligence explosion then we need to create (and stick to using) a universal programing language for use in the creation of all A.I..
It is easy to see that a truly rational species would indeed take this precaution. It is also easy to see that this combines perfectly with the concepts of things like EM’s Neuralink (and the many sci-fi writers and futurists proceeding him who also posited that creating a way to interface with machines pre-AGI is a good way to optimize for better common value systems with A.I.)
Sadly all such visionaries, including Yudkowsky, will likely continue to be mocked for their eccentricities rather than taken seriously for their important ideas. Meanwhile Google and China continue to go full speed forward in creating multi-capable A.I. (and thus continue to increase the likelihood of them accidentally unleashing multi-capable optimization agents)
Wolfram’s ideas absolutely are under-appreciated but he’s also a questionable spokesman for them.
The most important things he brings to the table, imho, are a more deliberate exploration on how simple mathematical precursors can lead to immense complexity (and order) in reality and the notion that if we really, rationally, want to survive the intelligence explosion then we need to create (and stick to using) a universal programing language for use in the creation of all A.I..
It is easy to see that a truly rational species would indeed take this precaution. It is also easy to see that this combines perfectly with the concepts of things like EM’s Neuralink (and the many sci-fi writers and futurists proceeding him who also posited that creating a way to interface with machines pre-AGI is a good way to optimize for better common value systems with A.I.)
Sadly all such visionaries, including Yudkowsky, will likely continue to be mocked for their eccentricities rather than taken seriously for their important ideas. Meanwhile Google and China continue to go full speed forward in creating multi-capable A.I. (and thus continue to increase the likelihood of them accidentally unleashing multi-capable optimization agents)