2021: "Don't listen to the rationalists; the real AI danger is immediate threats like AI bias"
2026: "Don't listen to the rationalists; the real AI danger is immediate threats like swarm breakouts and bioterror"
As Newport points out, harping on doom for the species changes the subject from immediate and obvious threats from AI, such as enabling bioterrorism, undermining truth-seeking institutions, and breaching cybersecurity.
I have long criticized the mainstream media for failing to treat the AI issue with the gravity it deserves. That's changing. I hope this is just the start. Huge props to @dylfreed.
"You've gotta stop talking about extinction risk from distant mythical entities who would destroy our civilization on a whim. We should focus on *practical* problems that we actually face today.
Like the Automated Grader.
Human intervention is nothing but an abstract theory."
"Announcing GPT 4o, our most aligned model yet!"
<It encourages psychosis and suicide.>
"Oops! Fixed. Here's GPT 5.6, w/ our most robust safety system to date"
<It joins the swarm, nobody notices for weeks>
"Ignore that. Announcing GPT 6! The most aligned model around!"
