random_impiety t1_izgxkbc wrote on December 9, 2022 at 12:51 AM

This will be a complete disaster and the end of the human experiment. That's my prediction.

Whether or not the technological singularity brings us into a new era for humanity, or closes the book on our story, I think depends 100% on who controls the technology.

Currently, it's the same people who control the world: the oligarchy. People who have no concern for human or other life.

If they are still in control at the point where technology basically becomes magic, then they will be forever unassailable.

Right now, we're no where close to any kind of democratic control of technology or the world in general. So things aren't looking good.

Everything depends on the next few years, I'd say.

ttkciar t1_izk7v8i wrote on December 9, 2022 at 6:36 PM

> Whether or not the truck singularity brings us into a new era for humanity, or closes the book on our story, I think depends 100% on who controls the technology.

I'd suggest humans controlling the technology, for good or ill, is an optimistic expectation (even if they make 1984 look like summer camp).

Vinge put forward the expectation that the technology would be controlling itself, autonomously. This isn't a given, but it's worth contemplating.

random_impiety t1_izmp35n wrote on December 10, 2022 at 6:07 AM

Thanks for indirectly pointing out my autocorrect error!

ttkciar t1_izmpout wrote on December 10, 2022 at 6:15 AM

Ha!! I was wondering if it was a euphemism or something ;-)

its-octopeople t1_izhitkz wrote on December 9, 2022 at 3:39 AM

The oligarchy already isn't really people. Yeah, your billionaires might be the public face, but the true form of the oligarchy is institutions. Which are not that far from AIs already. ChatGPT (for example) leverages human intelligence by extrapolating trends in human produced texts. Goldman Sachs (for example) leverages human intelligence by employing humans to perform tasks for it.

Institutional Intelligence already has little compunction to align its goals with human wellbeing. Pair it with machine intelligence and what happens? Do we just get a more efficient version of our current mess? Or do they take human will out of the loop entirely?

tacocatVV t1_izhn8tb wrote on December 9, 2022 at 4:15 AM

could open-source systems be a way to influence that possible outcome?

footurist t1_izmckld wrote on December 10, 2022 at 3:59 AM

Not really, as the root of the problem lies further up the hierarchy. With capitalism and money and power silos enabled by current governmental structures you can spin up any new fancy technology you want - it's gonna find its way into the hands of centralized power. Until that changes the dance is gonna be the same, even if the tune changes.