It is difficult to predict the likelihood of the active prevention of AI development, but the failure of humanity to halt the development of ever more powerful nuclear weapons (Norris & Kristensen 2009) – even after tasting their destructive power – does not inspire optimism.
“Optimism” being code for “preventing machine intelligence from being invented”?
You may want to spell this out—or perhaps substitute the word “pessimism”.
While in context of your text it can be inferred that “optimism” refers to prevention of AI development, Tim’s suggestion that “pessimism” could be substituted instead is a disingenuous way of proselytizing his own position, unrelated to what he was commenting on since this option would be doubly confusing if actually implemented.
Efforts to halt the development of increasingly-powerful machine intelligences seem likely to be made by a faction of humanity labelled by the rest of the humans as terrorists.
So far there has mostly only been the unabomber—but there may be more—and it may not be very much fun.
I didn’t downvote Tim, but I considered your usage standard English in referring to the first clause of the sentence, not a coded value judgement. I read it as ”...Does not inspire optimism [that active prevention of AI is likely].”
Compare to, “It is difficult to predict the likelihood of John Dillinger’s gang successfully robbing first national, but the addition of 8 armed guards To the bank’s security plan does not inspire optimism.”
“Optimism” being code for “preventing machine intelligence from being invented”?
You may want to spell this out—or perhaps substitute the word “pessimism”.
Agreed. Thanks.
Lol, why was this downvoted?
While in context of your text it can be inferred that “optimism” refers to prevention of AI development, Tim’s suggestion that “pessimism” could be substituted instead is a disingenuous way of proselytizing his own position, unrelated to what he was commenting on since this option would be doubly confusing if actually implemented.
Huh. Well, anyway, I think it will help to clarify what I meant by optimism.
Which is, for the uninitiated (link preferred) ? thx
Efforts to halt the development of increasingly-powerful machine intelligences seem likely to be made by a faction of humanity labelled by the rest of the humans as terrorists.
So far there has mostly only been the unabomber—but there may be more—and it may not be very much fun.
I repudiate the accusation of Machiavellian manipulation.
I suppose you could just raise your right hand.
I didn’t downvote Tim, but I considered your usage standard English in referring to the first clause of the sentence, not a coded value judgement. I read it as ”...Does not inspire optimism [that active prevention of AI is likely].”
Compare to, “It is difficult to predict the likelihood of John Dillinger’s gang successfully robbing first national, but the addition of 8 armed guards To the bank’s security plan does not inspire optimism.”