The advice in this post is framed as hard-won domain expertise, backed by empiricism and experience. But I think it’s actually closer to something more like folk wisdom from a milieu that is currently at a low point of cultural power and influence.
I don’t think this is true, ControlAI have done a lot to shift opinion on AI risk, over 100 UK politicians have signed their AI extinction risk statement. This isn’t something I would have thought would be possible if I’d heard about it two years ago.
I agree with what you said about experts, but think there’s two separate problems. The post is mostly about avoiding polarization, climate change and COVID have shown us how difficult polarization makes it to coordinate on problems. It would be bad for AI safety to become polarized that way.
The other problem, which I think is what you’re getting at, is that experts are far too passive. They are unwilling to speak with conviction so people disregard the things they say. Instead they listen to the influencer who tells them climate scientist are lying, becuase the influencer says it like it’s the truth. It’s is even worse in AI safety, because so many people talk about it like it’s a joke and call themselves doomers, I don’t think any of that is helping.
I think we can do both, I think we can speak confidently while not playing into the polarization that things worse
I don’t think this is true, ControlAI have done a lot to shift opinion on AI risk, over 100 UK politicians have signed their AI extinction risk statement. This isn’t something I would have thought would be possible if I’d heard about it two years ago.
I agree with what you said about experts, but think there’s two separate problems. The post is mostly about avoiding polarization, climate change and COVID have shown us how difficult polarization makes it to coordinate on problems. It would be bad for AI safety to become polarized that way.
The other problem, which I think is what you’re getting at, is that experts are far too passive. They are unwilling to speak with conviction so people disregard the things they say. Instead they listen to the influencer who tells them climate scientist are lying, becuase the influencer says it like it’s the truth.
It’s is even worse in AI safety, because so many people talk about it like it’s a joke and call themselves doomers, I don’t think any of that is helping.
I think we can do both, I think we can speak confidently while not playing into the polarization that things worse