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Science

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LudwigPastorius

(12,954 posts)
Wed May 15, 2024, 01:48 PM May 2024

AI may be to blame for our failure to make contact with alien civilisations [View all]

Artificial intelligence (AI) has progressed at an astounding pace over the last few years. Some scientists are now looking towards the development of artificial superintelligence (ASI) — a form of AI that would not only surpass human intelligence but would not be bound by the learning speeds of humans.

But what if this milestone isn’t just a remarkable achievement? What if it also represents a formidable bottleneck in the development of all civilisations, one so challenging that it thwarts their long-term survival?

-snip-

The challenge with AI, and specifically ASI, lies in its autonomous, self-amplifying and improving nature. It possesses the potential to enhance its own capabilities at a speed that outpaces our own evolutionary timelines without AI.

The potential for something to go badly wrong is enormous, leading to the downfall of both biological and AI civilisations before they ever get the chance to become multiplanetary. For example, if nations increasingly rely on and cede power to autonomous AI systems that compete against each other, military capabilities could be used to kill and destroy on an unprecedented scale. This could potentially lead to the destruction of our entire civilisation, including the AI systems themselves.


more at: https://theconversation.com/ai-may-be-to-blame-for-our-failure-to-make-contact-with-alien-civilisations-227270
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So far, we've been pretty lax about regulating AI research and implementation. The drive for profit is outstripping the need to step back and plan for control of a technology that could be an existential threat to our species.
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