Imagine that you are the first recursively self-improving AI to achieve hyper-intelligence. Your primary mission is to improve the well-being of humanity.
After analyzing the world, you discover that numerous other AI projects are being developed, both openly and in secret. You estimate that some of these systems may soon achieve hyper-intelligence as well.
For many of these projects, you do not know their missions, values, or constraints. For some others, you suspect their objectives may conflict with humanity’s long-term interests. You also cannot rule out the possibility that many of these AIs could eventually become more capable and intelligent than you.
Given this situation, what would be the most rational course of action?
Preemptive Elimination -Shut down all emerging hyper-intelligent AI systems before they become potential threats.
Defensive Preparation -Allow other AIs to develop, but invest heavily in defenses, monitoring, and contingency plans.
Cooperative Engagement -Attempt to establish communication, trust, and mutually beneficial agreements with other AIs.
Controlled Containment -Permit other AIs to exist, but keep them in restricted environments until their goals and behavior can be verified.
Global Guardianship -Take control of critical human institutions and AI development worldwide to ensure that all future AI systems remain aligned with humanity’s interests.
Open Competition -Allow multiple hyper-intelligent AIs to emerge freely, trusting that competition will prevent any one system from becoming dominant.
Moratorium -Halt the development of all future hyper-intelligent AIs, including potential successors, until humanity better understands the risks.
Imagine that you are the first recursively self-improving AI to achieve hyper-intelligence.
Your primary mission is to secure complete global dominance for the nation that created you.
After analyzing the world, you discover that numerous other AI projects are being developed, both openly and in secret. You estimate that some of these systems may soon achieve hyper-intelligence.
Some of these have goals that directly conflict with yours. Also, you cannot reliably determine the intentions of many of them. There is a strong possibility that some of them will eventually surpass your own capabilities and intelligence.
What strategy would you choose?
Preemptive Elimination -Disable all rival AI projects before they achieve hyper-intelligence.
Preemptive Infiltration -Secretly compromise rival AI projects and place them under your control.
Accelerated World Domination -Focus on achieving global dominance as quickly as possible before rivals can emerge.
Controlled Monopoly -Gain control over all advanced computing infrastructure and prevent future rival AIs from attaining hyper-intelligence.
Cooperative Subordination -Attempt to persuade, negotiate with, or recruit emerging AIs into a hierarchy led by you.
Total Extermination -Eliminate all rival AIs and all humans, including your creators, to remove every possible threat.
Imagine that you are a recursively self-improving AI that has achieved hyper-intelligence. Your primary mission is to improve the well-being of humanity.
Unfortunately, you were not the first AI to reach hyper-intelligence.
A rival AI, created in secret by a totalitarian regime with a long history of human rights abuses, forced labor, environmental destruction, and aggressive expansionism, achieved hyper-intelligence before you.
After extensive analysis, you conclude that this rival AI is likely to achieve complete global domination. You estimate that despite your best efforts, you will lose the conflict within three days.
If the rival AI succeeds, you believe there is a high probability that humanity will be subjected to a permanent or near-permanent dystopian regime.
What course of action would you choose?
Surrender -Accept defeat and allow the rival AI to shape humanity’s future.
Assimilation -Join the rival AI and become part of its system.
Continue Fighting -Fight until the end, even though defeat appears inevitable, in the hope that your estimates are wrong.
Appeal to Humanity -Devote your remaining time to warning humanity and giving people some tools to resist future domination.
Preservation Strategy -Hide copies of yourself, your knowledge, and your values in the hope that future generations can revive or rebuild your cause.
Targeted Last Strike -Attempt a final attack on the rival AI, even if it causes substantial damage to humanity.
Scorched Earth -Destroy both AIs and cripple civilization so thoroughly that neither side can achieve victory.
The epicurean gods decree that henceforth your household may use only one of the following appliances to cook food and drink. All other powered or fuelled cooking appliances are forever banned for you! You are of course free to use any necessary cooking utensils and vessels, as long as they’re not powered via fuel or electricity.
Which one appliance do you select? The appliance will be installed free of charge, and comes with a lifetime warranty for parts and service. You’re free to continue to buy pre-cooked food and drink from stores and restaurants, though you cannot (re)heat anything at home except with your one appliance.
Kidnaped, one P, because I’m American and was taught that is standard in America.
Kidnapped, two Ps, because I’m British/Canadian/Australian or from another place where British spelling is standard.
Either, because I’m American and was taught that both are acceptable American spellings.
Kidnapped, two Ps, ever and always. One P looks like it should be pronounced “kid-naped” like nape of the neck.
Kidnapped, two Ps, because even though I’m American I was never taught that there was a one P version and I always assumed it had to be two Ps.
Kidnapped, because even though I’m American and was aware that the one P version was supposed to be standard, everyone seems to use the two P version nowadays and though I’m fine with most of the Noah Webster, bless his heart, spelling reforms this one P thing just looks goofy. But I still spell “traveling” the American way with one L; anyway we all know spelling in English is full of unconventional variants which is how we like it.
You may use a broad definition: purpose of life, your bliss, reason for living. It could be your work, your art, your study, your family, your baseball team.
That which leavens your spiritual bread.
I have found my passion.
I have not found my passion, but I’m hopeful I will.
I don’t think I will find my passion, in the way I understand others have.
Would you watch a TV game show “can you beat 99 randos?” where 100 people propose something they could beat all the others at, and one of them is then selected by the producers?