I’m on board! We needed people going fast to get seatbelts!
AI safety isn’t a game, which means you’ll be disappointed in yourself (if only very briefly) if you fail to play your best to win. The choice of risky 3D chess moves or virtue ethics is not obvious.
I think it’s obvious that you should not pursue 3D chess without investing serious effort in making sure that you play 3D chess correctly. I think there is something to be said for ignoring the shiny clever ideas and playing simple virtue ethics.
But if a clever scheme is in fact better, and you have accounted for all of the problems inherent to clever schemery, of which there are very many, then… the burden of proof isn’t literally insurmountable, you’re just unlikely to end up surmounting it in practice.
(Unless it’s 3D chess where the only thing you might end up wasting is your own time. That has a lower burden of proof. Though still probably don’t waste all your time.)
My conclusion is an admittedly weaksauce non-argument, included primarily to prevent misinterpretation of my actual beliefs. I am working on a rebuttal, but it’s taking longer than I planned. For now, see: Holly Elmore’s case for AI Safety Advocacy to the Public.
I’m on board! We needed people going fast to get seatbelts!
AI safety isn’t a game, which means you’ll be disappointed in yourself (if only very briefly) if you fail to play your best to win. The choice of risky 3D chess moves or virtue ethics is not obvious.
I think it’s obvious that you should not pursue 3D chess without investing serious effort in making sure that you play 3D chess correctly. I think there is something to be said for ignoring the shiny clever ideas and playing simple virtue ethics.
But if a clever scheme is in fact better, and you have accounted for all of the problems inherent to clever schemery, of which there are very many, then… the burden of proof isn’t literally insurmountable, you’re just unlikely to end up surmounting it in practice.
(Unless it’s 3D chess where the only thing you might end up wasting is your own time. That has a lower burden of proof. Though still probably don’t waste all your time.)
My conclusion is an admittedly weaksauce non-argument, included primarily to prevent misinterpretation of my actual beliefs. I am working on a rebuttal, but it’s taking longer than I planned. For now, see: Holly Elmore’s case for AI Safety Advocacy to the Public.