Comment by zoogeny

Some of the scariest horror movies are the ones where the monster isn't shown. Often once the monster is shown, it is less terrifying.

In a general sense, uncertainty causes anxiety. Once you know the properties of the monster you are dealing with you can start planning on how to address it.

Some people have blind and ignorant confidence. A feeling they can take on literally anything, no matter how powerful. Sometimes they are right, sometimes they are wrong.

I'm reminded by the scene in No Country For Old Men where the good guy bad-ass meets the antagonist and immediately dies. I have little faith in blind confidence.

edit: I'll also add that human adaptability (which is probably the trait most confidence in humans would rest) has shown itself capable of saving us from many previous civilization changing events. However, this change with AI is happening much, much faster than any before it. So part of the anxiety is whether or not our species reaction time is enough to avoid the cliff we are accelerating towards.