I really like this article, thanks for writing it! I think you correctly point out that AI successionism is psychologically convenient for a lot of people, especially those working in AI or benefitting from it, and you do a great job illustrating how that happens.
That said, I’m not sure the memetic story settles the underlying philosophical question: are humans actually the optimal long-term stewards of value on Earth (or beyond), and if not, is it at least plausible that advanced AI could become a better steward?
Absent fairly definitive answers to those questions, it seems premature to dismiss AI successionism outright, even if we should be cautious about the motivations and social dynamics that make it appealing.
I really like this article, thanks for writing it! I think you correctly point out that AI successionism is psychologically convenient for a lot of people, especially those working in AI or benefitting from it, and you do a great job illustrating how that happens.
That said, I’m not sure the memetic story settles the underlying philosophical question: are humans actually the optimal long-term stewards of value on Earth (or beyond), and if not, is it at least plausible that advanced AI could become a better steward?
Absent fairly definitive answers to those questions, it seems premature to dismiss AI successionism outright, even if we should be cautious about the motivations and social dynamics that make it appealing.