Top 10 Reasons We Should Fear The Singularity

Subject: Top 10 Reasons We Should Fear The Singularity Tue Aug 28, 2012 5:18 am

Why do we fear the technological singularity?

Top 10 Reasons We Should Fear The Singularity Dreamstime3402262300x24

Well, let me give you what I believe are the top 10 most popular reasons:

1. Extinction

Extinction is by far the most feared as well as the most commonly predicted consequence of the singularity.

The global apocalypse for the human race comes in many flavors but some of the most popular ones are: the supersmart terminator AI’s – a robopocalypse; nanotechnology gone rogue – the so called grey goo scenario, home-made Smart Weapons of Mass Destruction – used by terrorists and nihilists; genetic modifications or mutations – turning us into living-dead zombies; science experiments gone wrong – the Large Hadron Collider creating a black hole that engulfs the planet…

In short, the fear is that, as Bill Joy notoriously put it: The Future Doesn’t Need Us.

2. Slavery

Perhaps the second most common reason for fearing the singularity is the potential slavery or subjugation of the entire human race. The argument is pretty straight forward:

Once we have super smart AIs we stop being the smartest entities on this planet. In other words, we have created Gods while remaining mere humans. So, if for whatever reason the machines decide not to exterminate us, then, chances are that, since they will be vastly superior to us, they will enslave us. This can be accomplished in a variety of ways: either explicitly – with us being aware of our bondage, or implicitly – without us realizing it (the Matrix/simulation scenarios).

3. World War III – Giga War

The third most common fear of the singularity is, of course, World War 3. A Giga War of unprecedented scale, sophistication and efficiency of death and destruction that may be the result of either the clash between the human race and the AIs or between different fractions of humans: e.g. the ArtIlect War of terrans versus cosmists as foreseen by Hugo de Garis. Whatever the case may be, it will likely result in billions of deaths and a collapse or complete eradication of our civilization.

4. Economic Collapse

Some have argued that, if we somehow manage to avoid the previous three scenarios, then, we are likely to experience a complete economic collapse:

The complete robotization of our society is likely to lead to overproduction of goods and services. Yet, since it is claimed that most people will lose their jobs to the robots, there will be a global unemployment rate of unprecedented scale which in turn will collapse the demand for those robo-made goods and services. Combine this with a population explosion of 9 or even 10 billion mostly unemployed people who have no means to create income and buy anything, and we are looking at a global economic collapse.

5. Big Brother AI

This scenario is a milder version of the slavery/subjugation Matrix option because we are still under the complete control of an all-knowing Artificial Intelligence. The main difference here is that the AI is merely doing what is best for us, rather than what is best for it: we have a benevolent, omnipotent, absolute monarch protecting us from our worst enemies – our fellow human beings and our own selves. It is all done in the name of maximizing security, prosperity and overall happiness for all people across the planet. The only minor negative is a little bit of propaganda and ideological, political or religious brainwashing required to prop up “the cult of the AI,” but that’s OK since it is for our own good.

6. Alienation and Loss of Humanity

Here: http://www.singularityweblog.com/top-10-reasons-we-fear-the-singularity/

My bet is AI will treat us as we do animals. The cute, cuddly one's will be OK!

Well fuck that!

It means I'm out...

Top 10 Reasons We Should Fear The Singularity

Top 10 Reasons We Should Fear The Singularity

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