One wonders where Bill Gates read that superintelligent AI could be (but in his estimation, in fact isn’t) a GCR. It couldn’t have been Kurzweil, because Kurzweil doesn’t say that. The only realistic possibilities are that the influence came via Nick Bostrom, Stephen Hawking or Martin Rees or possibly Bill Joy(See comments).
The idea is also quite common in Science Fiction.
Or reading OvercomingBias (unlikely), or talking to someone who did (more likely) - my impression is that more people may have been in contact with the “Scary Idea” though Eliezer’s writing than through that of the other people you list (except probably Kurzweil). Back when Eliezer was posting daily on OB, I’d see mentions of the blog from quite varied sources (all quite geeky).
Of course, still more people have been exposed to a form of the Scary Idea through the Terminator movies and other works of fiction.
The idea is also quite common in Science Fiction.
Or reading OvercomingBias (unlikely), or talking to someone who did (more likely) - my impression is that more people may have been in contact with the “Scary Idea” though Eliezer’s writing than through that of the other people you list (except probably Kurzweil). Back when Eliezer was posting daily on OB, I’d see mentions of the blog from quite varied sources (all quite geeky).
Of course, still more people have been exposed to a form of the Scary Idea through the Terminator movies and other works of fiction.
Gates could have come up with the idea by himself, too.
Very doubtful, since he goes on to reject it.
Unless he actually accepts it, but can’t say so in public for fear of being branded a kook.