Late to the party, but I only just listened to this yesterday. Like many other commenters, I wanted to butt in and ask them some questions. For me, it was during Dr. Pinker's dismissal of concerns about AI's potential misuse. He seems to believe that because engineers are smart people and know the dangers, they won't be stupid enough to …
Late to the party, but I only just listened to this yesterday. Like many other commenters, I wanted to butt in and ask them some questions. For me, it was during Dr. Pinker's dismissal of concerns about AI's potential misuse. He seems to believe that because engineers are smart people and know the dangers, they won't be stupid enough to design something that could endanger themselves along with the rest of the world, without also designing sufficient safeguards. Has he never heard of smart people who crave power, and are willing to pay other smart people to help them get it? People who allow their lust for power to be a blind spot, ignoring or minimizing risks while reaching for their goals? I'm not one who thinks AI will be the end of the world, but I know programmers -- they are human, and vulnerable to the passions like the rest of us.
Late to the party, but I only just listened to this yesterday. Like many other commenters, I wanted to butt in and ask them some questions. For me, it was during Dr. Pinker's dismissal of concerns about AI's potential misuse. He seems to believe that because engineers are smart people and know the dangers, they won't be stupid enough to design something that could endanger themselves along with the rest of the world, without also designing sufficient safeguards. Has he never heard of smart people who crave power, and are willing to pay other smart people to help them get it? People who allow their lust for power to be a blind spot, ignoring or minimizing risks while reaching for their goals? I'm not one who thinks AI will be the end of the world, but I know programmers -- they are human, and vulnerable to the passions like the rest of us.