As if making it illegal to turn the world into paperclips will stop it from happening. But people are apparently more worried about data centers raising their electric bills.
-- Matt Mahoney, [email protected] On Fri, Sep 25, 2026, 9:23 PM Mike Archbold <[email protected]> wrote: > Bernie sounds crazy to me. > > On Fri, Sep 25, 2026 at 6:07 PM Rob Freeman <[email protected]> > wrote: > >> On Sat, Sep 26, 2026 at 1:25 AM Matt Mahoney <[email protected]> >> wrote: >> > >> > Bernie Sanders introduced a bill to permanently ban artificial super >> intelligence, defined as >> > "a system that exceeds human cognitive ability or has sufficient >> capabilities to plan and >> > execute the destruction or disempowerment of humanity". >> >> An entity already exists that "has sufficient capabilities to plan and >> execute the destruction or disempowerment of humanity". It's called >> humanity. >> >> The only solution to that danger, is not a permanent ban on computer >> technology. But a permanent ban on any form of new scientific >> discovery, period. Which by its nature can have unknown consequences. >> Research into health can be used to kill. Research into energy, the >> bomb. Who can say but that research into black holes might not create >> one, and swallow us all up. >> >> Knowledge is just too dangerous in the hands of unchained primates. >> >> Our only safety lies in permanent control by an oppressive central >> authority which will punish all curiosity. Endless stasis. Or even >> regression to an agricultural state. One in which our current energy >> technology does not slowly kill us through global warming. Or our >> current biological technology through viruses. Or chemistry consume us >> all in an encroaching "grey goo", runaway chemical reaction. >> >> Or we can seek greater intelligence to anticipate dangers. Safety in >> variety. For each example of malice a counter example of benevolence. >> Anticipating and counteracting. Fighting fire with fire. As has been >> our only defense against species extinction from our existing state of >> power over our environment, for some years now. >> >> Computers are a lot safer than humans in control of ever more powerful >> technology. Because humans have malice. Up to us if we are stupid >> enough to program malice into computers. There's no reason why they >> should develop it on their own. Unless perhaps we give them a survival >> imperative. But things like a survival imperative are very >> idiosyncratic to humans. Who are the main risk. The main risk of >> computers is their continuing stupidity. The paper clip maximizer. >> Good intent, with unexpected bad consequences. And the best defense >> against that is a variety of computers, identifying unexpected >> consequences as they occur, and mitigating both the accidental harms >> of computer stupidity, and whatever unexpected consequences humans >> manage to mess up on our own. >> >> -Rob > *Artificial General Intelligence List <https://agi.topicbox.com/latest>* > / AGI / see discussions <https://agi.topicbox.com/groups/agi> + > participants <https://agi.topicbox.com/groups/agi/members> + > delivery options <https://agi.topicbox.com/groups/agi/subscription> > Permalink > <https://agi.topicbox.com/groups/agi/T8d5b2f4ea82b5542-M7be964f7e0bfa42fc5991ee6> > ------------------------------------------ Artificial General Intelligence List: AGI Permalink: https://agi.topicbox.com/groups/agi/T8d5b2f4ea82b5542-Mcd00bc19043a55cdea486ecb Delivery options: https://agi.topicbox.com/groups/agi/subscription
