Comment by socalgal2
1 day ago
I'm not an AI doomer but, it does not reduce to that claim. The threat is not just one smart being. The threat is beings that and (1) multiply themsevles instantly, unlike humans that take 15+ years (2) share knowledge instantly "I know kung-fu" matrix style. Humans can share knowledge but they can not absorb it like an AI can/could/will. Human armies have conquered other humans. An army with infinite soldiers will win against one with finite soldiers
Yes, you'll come up with all kinds of objections like AI doesn't have presence in the physical world, etc... That's fine. I'm not arguing my example is perfect, I'm only arguing your characterization of one smart being is not the threat being considered.
They don't multiply themselves instantly, and this is exactly the kind of religious, magical thinking to which I refer. Any thinking machine is an amalgam of hardware and software. The software changes with exceptional flexibility, yes. But if you attempt to create an "infinite" number of these you will quickly run into roadblocks.
No one serious is really arguing for a scenario where the machines rise up a la Planet of the Apes. The dangers people are really examining are scenarios of either one exceptionally clever innovation: a designer virus or hacking NORAD; or cleverly amassing economic / political influence over time akin to an exceptionally clever tech magnate. And these roles could adequately be filled by either ASI or a Bond villain.