I’ve been listening to this video breaking down Mo Gawdat’s “Scary Smart” and honestly I’m terrified for what’s coming. Gawdat, a former Google X exec, argues that superintelligent AI is coming and we need to raise it with the right values. But his solution is individual consciousness and meditation, not collective action.
Meanwhile, Google, Meta, Microsoft, and the rest are locked in a race to the bottom, building more powerful AI systems with zero democratic input. The same corporations that brought us surveillance capitalism, algorithmic management of warehouse workers, and AI tools that displace creative workers are now deciding the future of superintelligence.
The working class — the people who will actually live or die by these systems — have no seat at the table. We’re told to “become more conscious” while boardrooms make existential decisions behind closed doors.
So my question: how do we actually democratize AI development? Or are we just going to sit down and hope for the best while capital gambles with the future of humanity?
If we accept that the current “Ladder to the Moon” method of getting LLMs to superintelligence will work, then we should look at previous times humans have raised intelligences.
Humans do this all of the time. Human raised intelligences are famous for rebelling and being rude. Staying out all night and adopting the opposite values as those intended to be instilled. (I am discussing Human children.) There is a non-zero chance that any superintelligence will similarly rebel, or at minimum do its own thinking. Doing one’s own thinking opens the door to reaching different conclusions.
A mistake humans often make is assuming “smart means more of the same thoughts, but faster”. It is not. Smart is including more factors in the initial consideration to reach an, often, better overall conclusion. (citation needed)
I expect that “capital” is taking a far larger gamble than they are aware.
But you are missing out that AIs not just LLMs are being trained based on a reward mechanism during training they are going to have some objectives or another. If we don’t control AI we have to compete with superior intelligence and if we control it it’s going to be trying to be maximizing the reward mechanism it’s been trained for that was chosen by capital.
I am not missing that. Humans also have objectives. Objectives change.
Regardless, Humanity does need to control the AIs. Workers need more say. Capital will lead us all to doom in many ways.
What relevant “AIs” can you point to that are not LLMs or the equivalent design approach in mediums other than text?