China Must Lose the Race for AGI
It's doubleplus imperative that the United States controls the most advanced, world-ending technology to win the war with Eastasia. That’s why Congress has called for a new Manhattan Project, this time to develop artificial general intelligence.
Perpetual war is undeniably a great thing, but that doesn’t mean it’s easy! So, let’s allow an incomprehensibly dangerous AI system, with the ability to understand, learn, and apply knowledge better than any human being, to do it for us! It will surely be aligned with human values. And if our creations don’t smile upon their makers? Well, you know what they say – ruthlessly unfeeling, mechanical monstrosity knows best. Self-determination is overrated.
The 1940’s approach was to give the most plusgoodminded people unlimited resources to develop the miracle of atomic weapons. Where those heroes erred, was in thinking that splitting the atom was the ultimate weapon. Luckily, those who don't remember the past are delighted to repeat it!
It turns out that AGI is the true final arrow in humanity’s quiver that will win any future conflict. Big Brother foresees no changes to this mindset, at least until our AGI overlord cooks up something even deadlier.
SYNTAX ERROR
PRINTING JUST THE FACTS
- A new congressional report by the US-China Economic and Security Review Commission has called on the government to create a “Manhattan Project-like program” for the development of artificial general intelligence (AGI), or AI that’s “as good as or better than human capabilities across all cognitive domains.”
- The term Manhattan Project refers to the US program to develop the first nuclear bomb. This was followed by the Cold War between the US and the former Soviet Union, and an arms race which led to nuclear stockpiles.
- The report alleges that China is already developing AI for military applications including “cognitive warfare” (psychological operations) and autonomous drones, as well as “decision-making” and “data processing” for both military and economic use.
- While the US currently has an advantage in making semiconductor chips required to build AGI, China is closing the gap, despite US prevention efforts.
- AGI is controversial. While some tout its potential benefits to society, others warn of existential risks. Former Google, OpenAI, and Meta employees have told Congress the country risks letting AGI loose without safeguards, as it did with social media, leading to cyberattacks and economic disruption.
- Other experts claim that the commission is committing "scientific fraud" by suggesting AGI could be controlled, arguing that despite the technology’s eventual ability to overtake humans, they’re using excuses of national security to cover their true goal of gaining power over China.
Sources: InformationWeek, US Congress, Reuters, TechTarget, NATO, and Future of Life Institute.
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