I have never, in my career been considered anything remotely akin to a Luddite by anyone who knows me. I have based my entire career on technical progress. I have rejoiced and dived in as technology moved forward. But today I firmly stand in the “Shut AI Down” camp.
I know this won't happen. I know technical progress is a kind of unstoppable force of nature - a potentially ironic extension of humanity's very will to survive. And no matter what some conscientious innovators might be willing to withhold from doing, it will be a drop in the bucket at large. Someone, somewhere will rationalize the act and we will progress assuredly into the AI mire.
But I do very much wish humanity could gather up the rational wherewithal to withhold themselves on this one. This is not like any other technical leap we have ever made before. There is no comparison. In at least one way it's entirely alien.
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