If my intelligence agencies suggested to me that there was a nascent movement in some stronger foreign country to forcibly de-industrialize my proud native land, I would do anything possible to prevent it.
So what would you do if your intelligence told you that there is a group of people who want to launch a fooming AI and take over the universe? That is similar to what the SIAI is planning to do (as interpreted by politicians). There seems to be no way around large-scale politico-military struggle.
[Speaking in character] I’m held responsible for building this nation’s trade, for protecting it from those who would be our enemies from abroad, all while deftly managing potential threats from my own political rivals at home. I am very busy. My staff knows better than to bother me with fevered dreams of a few science fiction devotees.
It’s different when some crazy group or ideology starts exercising political power. If some foreign cult starts lobbying its government or to reduce my people to serfs, or trying to take power itself, I will pay attention. That is a threat I can recognize, having seen it repeated in history again and again.
Obviously, I don’t want open war with a great power if it can be avoided. So I would instruct my diplomats and the public relations staff (who used to be called the propaganda ministry a long time ago) to initiate a subtle campaign to portray this strange science fiction group as a dangerous cult, mad for power. Of course they want to have a monopoly over computing power. I would embarrass their host government, suggesting that we smaller countries cannot help to but see the growing prominence of this group as a mounting threat of imperialist conquest. I would want assurances that, even if these people are allowed to remain free and spout their venom, none of them will be regarded as respectable or ever hold a position of authority.
If I were persuaded there really is “no way around large-scale politico-military struggle.” I would consider this thing they call “cyber-warfare” as a form of asymmetric resistance, in addition to training my conventional forces to repel a larger invader. I hope we would win. But if our defeat looks imminent, I would make preparations to see that my nation’s technical infrastructure could survive underground in the event of a foreign occupation. We do not relish the idea of being reduced to nothing more than agricultural peasants. If it’s our computers they want, then we will guard our computers all the more.
I agree that there is likely no risk if nobody takes the SIAI seriously. But if at some point a powerful entity does take it serious, especially the country where most of the SIAI members reside in, then the best case scenario might be that it will be put under government control. I just don’t see that a government that does take fooming AI serious would trust the SIAI in trying to implement friendliness, or would allow them to do it even if they believed so.
I agree that there is likely no risk if nobody takes the SIAI serious. But if at some point a powerful entity does take it serious
Which is why it is smart for the figurehead to spend his time writing anime and Harry Potter fanfics and making them public. That stops most people taking him seriously (taking uncool people feels like a political mistake) while for rationalist nerd types it is approximately neutral.
So what would you do if your intelligence told you that there is a group of people who want to launch a fooming AI and take over the universe? That is similar to what the SIAI is planning to do (as interpreted by politicians). There seems to be no way around large-scale politico-military struggle.
[Speaking in character] I’m held responsible for building this nation’s trade, for protecting it from those who would be our enemies from abroad, all while deftly managing potential threats from my own political rivals at home. I am very busy. My staff knows better than to bother me with fevered dreams of a few science fiction devotees.
It’s different when some crazy group or ideology starts exercising political power. If some foreign cult starts lobbying its government or to reduce my people to serfs, or trying to take power itself, I will pay attention. That is a threat I can recognize, having seen it repeated in history again and again.
Obviously, I don’t want open war with a great power if it can be avoided. So I would instruct my diplomats and the public relations staff (who used to be called the propaganda ministry a long time ago) to initiate a subtle campaign to portray this strange science fiction group as a dangerous cult, mad for power. Of course they want to have a monopoly over computing power. I would embarrass their host government, suggesting that we smaller countries cannot help to but see the growing prominence of this group as a mounting threat of imperialist conquest. I would want assurances that, even if these people are allowed to remain free and spout their venom, none of them will be regarded as respectable or ever hold a position of authority.
If I were persuaded there really is “no way around large-scale politico-military struggle.” I would consider this thing they call “cyber-warfare” as a form of asymmetric resistance, in addition to training my conventional forces to repel a larger invader. I hope we would win. But if our defeat looks imminent, I would make preparations to see that my nation’s technical infrastructure could survive underground in the event of a foreign occupation. We do not relish the idea of being reduced to nothing more than agricultural peasants. If it’s our computers they want, then we will guard our computers all the more.
I agree that there is likely no risk if nobody takes the SIAI seriously. But if at some point a powerful entity does take it serious, especially the country where most of the SIAI members reside in, then the best case scenario might be that it will be put under government control. I just don’t see that a government that does take fooming AI serious would trust the SIAI in trying to implement friendliness, or would allow them to do it even if they believed so.
Which is why it is smart for the figurehead to spend his time writing anime and Harry Potter fanfics and making them public. That stops most people taking him seriously (taking uncool people feels like a political mistake) while for rationalist nerd types it is approximately neutral.
It’s ‘seriously’, not ‘serious’.
Thanks, I know you told me before.
If it was me, I would probably ask whether it was a bunch of young folks with few resources, not much programming experience and a fondness for anime.