I very much agree that actions motivated by fear tend to have bad outcomes. Fear has subtle influence (especially if unconscious) on what types of thoughts we have and as a consequence, to what kinds of solutions we eventually arrive.
And I second the observation that many people working on AI risk seem to me motivated by fear. I also see many AI risk researchers, who are grounded, playful, and work on AI safety not because they think they have to, but because they simply believe it’s the best thing they can do. I wish there would be more of the latter, because I think it feels better to them, but also because I believe they have a higher chance of coming up with good solutions.
Unfortunately, I also feel the form of the article is quite polarizing and am not sure how accessible it is to the target audience. But still I’m glad you wrote it, Val, thank you.
I also see many AI risk researchers, who are grounded, playful, and work on AI safety not because they think they have to, but because they simply believe it’s the best thing they can do.
Agreed. I don’t know many, but it totally happens.
Unfortunately, I also feel the form of the article is quite polarizing and am not sure how accessible it is to the target audience.
Yep. I’ve had to just fully give up on not being polarizing. I spent years seriously trying to shift my presentation style to be more palatable… and the net effect was it became nearly impossible for me to say anything clearly at all (beyond stuff like “Could you please pass the salt?”).
So I think I just am polarizing. It’d be nice to develop more skill in being audible to sensitive systems, but trying to do so seems to just flat-out not work for me.
I very much agree that actions motivated by fear tend to have bad outcomes. Fear has subtle influence (especially if unconscious) on what types of thoughts we have and as a consequence, to what kinds of solutions we eventually arrive.
And I second the observation that many people working on AI risk seem to me motivated by fear. I also see many AI risk researchers, who are grounded, playful, and work on AI safety not because they think they have to, but because they simply believe it’s the best thing they can do. I wish there would be more of the latter, because I think it feels better to them, but also because I believe they have a higher chance of coming up with good solutions.
Unfortunately, I also feel the form of the article is quite polarizing and am not sure how accessible it is to the target audience. But still I’m glad you wrote it, Val, thank you.
Agreed. I don’t know many, but it totally happens.
Yep. I’ve had to just fully give up on not being polarizing. I spent years seriously trying to shift my presentation style to be more palatable… and the net effect was it became nearly impossible for me to say anything clearly at all (beyond stuff like “Could you please pass the salt?”).
So I think I just am polarizing. It’d be nice to develop more skill in being audible to sensitive systems, but trying to do so seems to just flat-out not work for me.
Alas.
Thank you for saying so. My pleasure.