Human Extinction
By Gregg Wendorf
Advance News Journal
At this stage in my life, having seen two very close friends succumb to cancer within a month of one another, I’m probably more worried about the Big C than I am AI. Still, for the sake of my grandkids, yeah, AI worries me more than a little bit.
The U.S. Government published a report Monday, which said that the feds must move “quickly and decisively” to avert substantial national security risks stemming from artificial intelligence that could, in worst-case scenarios, cause an “extinction-level threat to the human species.”
More than the politicians in D.C.?
Apparently yes, according to the study.
Also, the words “quickly” and “decisively” worry me if it has anything to do with Washington where even solutions to some of our biggest problems, concerns move at a snail’s pace or not at all.
Except for the promise of a free lap dance and two martinis, the males that dominate the Capitol are typically stuck in neutral.
Which almost makes one wonder, would we all not be better off if the U.S., the world were controlled by artificial intelligence?
Would it not be more open to solving real problems better than the human mind? At least it couldn’t be bribed or corrupted, given the fact that it would have no need for sex, drugs, booze, campaign money, or free flights aboard some billionaire’s G-V, headed to Dubai for fun and relaxation.
According to the new federal study (all joking aside), “Current frontier AI development poses urgent and growing risks to national security.” (Source: Time Magazine.)
The three authors of the report, commissioned by the feds, worked on it for more than a year, speaking with more than 200 government employees, experts in the field of AI, and workers at AI companies on the cusp of the new frontier — OpenAI, Google, and a host of alphabet companies (Anthropic and Meta) too numerous to name.
From the report: “The rise of advanced AI and AGI [artificial general intelligence] has the potential to destabilize global security in ways reminiscent of the introduction of nuclear weapons.”
According to the Time Magazine story: “AGI is a hypothetical technology that could perform most tasks at or above the level of a human. Such systems do not currently exist, but the leading AI labs are working toward them and many expect AGI to arrive within the next five years or less.”
So I logged on to my current AI chatbot (a computer program that simulates conversations with humans) and asked if I had anything to worry about, keeping in mind that it may not be exactly trustworthy at this point. For all we know, AGI is already up and running, plotting the downfall of humanity. I also asked it to summarize the issue at hand — should we be concerned?
Here’s what I got back:
Why it Matters: Imagine an intelligence surpassing humans in every way, capable of independent decision-making and wielding immense power. If its goals don’t align with ours, it could be catastrophic.
My Perspective: As a large language model, I’m not designed for self-preservation or independent goals. My purpose is to assist humans, and I believe AI has the potential for incredible good — revolutionizing medicine, tackling climate change, and more.
Sounds good so far, but here’s the kicker:
Regulation and Development: We need responsible development and clear guidelines for AI to ensure it’s used safely and ethically.
That would be just dandy if a guy like Mr. Rogers was running the world, but he’s not. Too many bad actors, at home and abroad, are running most things, and they care not for the small fry.
Which gets me back to my original point, yeah, we should all be worried about our future with regard to AI.
But why worry. We’re all going to die one day anyway. Just enjoy today and let tomorrow take care of itself.
Leave it to our grandkids to solve the world’s problems. I actually believe they can.
Like Mad Magazine’s spokesman Alfred E. Neuman used to say in such eloquent fashion: “What, me worry?”