if you’re worried that a nuclear weapon with yield Y might ignite the atmosphere, it doesn’t help to first test a nuclear weapon with yield 0.1×Y, and then if the atmosphere hasn’t been ignited yet, next try testing one with yield 0.2×Y, etc.” I.e., I sometimes (not always!) see people talking about gradual AI progress without having a clear and plausible (to me) mechanism by which the earlier steps actually de-risk the later steps.
In this example, people believe that each subsequent nuclear test could solve the problem of atmospheric ignite in the future.
That’s not true if you and your employees are on earth. It’s like saying, “I’m building data centers in neutral waters, and no one can manage me.” Nope. It doesn’t work that way. You’re subject to the jurisdiction of the country whose flag your ship flies