All right, so get ready, because today we are diving into the deep end with artificial intelligence exploring the potential dark side of AI.
Ooh, that sounds a little ominous.
The kind of is, we're going to be unpacking ideas from this video essay called The Dark Side of AI Transhumanism and the War Against Humanity.
It's from Academy of Ideas, and let me tell you, it's pretty thought provoking.
So we're talking AI overlords, humans merging with machines, the whole shebang.
Exactly, it gets pretty wild, and you know it's crazy.
The essay starts by taking us all the way back to 1964 with Arthur C. Clarke.
The science fiction writer.
Yeah, the guy who basically predicted satellites.
Oh wow.
Well, he also had this chilling prediction that the most intelligent beings of the future wouldn't be us humans.
No, no.
Nope, they'd be machines.
The sentence of our computer is calling all the shots.
That's both fascinating and terrifying at the same time.
I know, right?
Yeah.
And it makes you wonder like, what happens when artificial intelligence surpasses human intelligence?
It's a question that's been lingering for decades.
And it feels more relevant now than ever.
Right.
Because fast forward to the Trump era, and you've got this huge project called StartGate,
the government poured half a trillion dollars into AI infrastructure.
Half a trillion?
That's an insane amount of money.
Yeah, to put that in perspective, that's more than the entire GDP of many countries all poured into developing AI.
Wow, that shows you how seriously they were taking this.
Some people saw it as the beginning of a golden age, you know?
Yeah.
Like we were on the verge of this huge technological revolution.
Makes sense.
But at the same time, there were definitely concerns about the potential downsides.
Oh, absolutely.
And get this, at the same time you had open AI, the folks behind chat GPT releasing this super optimistic letter,
they were talking about AI elevating humanity, solving all our problems.
Yeah.
It was like this total clash of viewpoints.
Right.
So you've got this incredible potential for progress, but also these valid concerns about control,
unintended consequences, even risks to our existence.
It's a tricky situation for sure.
Okay, so let's break down the different types of AI, because the essay does a good job explaining this.
First, you've got what's called narrow AI.
This is what we mostly interact with today.
It's in our phones, our computers everywhere.
So like that spam filters sorting your emails?
Yep, or the recommendations on your streaming service.
That's all narrow AI.
It's great at specific tasks, but it's limited.
You know what I mean?
Yeah, I get it.
It's like AlphaZero, the AI that's amazing at chess and go.
It can dominate those games, but it can't write a poem or compose a symphony.
Exactly.
Then there's AGI, artificial general intelligence.
This is like the holy grail of AI research.
It's the AI that can learn and master anything a human can.
Now that's where things get really interesting.
That may be a little scary.
The essay argues that once we achieve AGI, it's a very short leap to super intelligence.
When we say super intelligence, we're not just talking about an AI that's a bit smarter than us.
We're talking about an AI that's better than us at everything.
Like solving scientific problems, we can't even fathom strategizing on a level that makes human geniuses look like, you know, not geniuses.
It's both exciting and a little unsettling to think about.
And the essay doesn't shy away from the potential consequences of this.
It cites a pretty alarming statistic.
36% of AI experts believe that AI decisions could cause a catastrophe on the level of a nuclear war.
Whoa, hold on. 36%.
Yeah, it's a serious concern.
Like what could that even look like?
An AI deciding to launch nukes.
I mean, it doesn't have to be that dramatic.
But imagine an AI controlling a power grid or a financial system, and it makes a decision that seems logical to it, but leads to chaos for us humans.
That's a scary thought for sure.
And, you know, it's not just some fringe theory either.
You've got people like Elon Musk saying, with artificial intelligence, we are summoning the demon.
Summoning the demon.
That's some pretty strong language.
Right.
And in 2023, over 300 AI experts signed a letter saying mitigating AI risk should be a top priority right up there with pandemics and nuclear war.
It sounds like they're taking this very seriously.
Yeah, they're not saying AI is inherently evil, but we need to be cautious.
Even Jeffrey Hinton, who's often called the godfather of AI, has expressed regret over his work worried about the dangers.
Wow, if the godfather of AI is worried, that's definitely a sign we should pay attention.
There was even a conversation where Elon Musk joked that maybe AI would keep humans around just to make life more interesting.
That's a pretty dark, sense of humor.
Right.
But it makes you think, what role will humans even have if we create something so much smarter than us?
Yeah, that's the big question.
So with all this doom and gloom, is there any hope?
The essay presents one possible solution, and it's pretty radical transhumanism.
Transhumanism, what's that?
The idea is that if we can't beat super intelligent AI, maybe we need to join it.
Transhumanism is about merging humans with machines, enhancing our capabilities to keep pace with, or even survive the rise of AI.
So instead of an us versus them scenario, we become one with AI.
It's a mind-bending concept, right?
Absolutely.
But it seems like some pretty influential people are taking this idea seriously.
Oh yeah, for sure.
We've heard Sam Altman, the CEO of OpenAI, suggest that some kind of merge with machines might be necessary.
And of course, there's Elon Musk again with his company, Neuralink, developing brain implants to create a symbiosis with artificial intelligence.
So we've got this whole movement based on the idea that we need to merge with machines to survive the future we're creating.
It sounds like something straight out of a sci-fi movie.
And the essay points out that this transhumanist ideology is gaining traction among some very powerful figures like Klaus Schwab from the World Economic Forum.
That's pretty wild.
OK, so we've covered a lot here.
We've talked about the potential of superintelligence, the anxiety it provokes, and this radical solution transhumanism.
In part two, we'll delve deeper into this, exploring the promises and perils of this vision.
Sounds like a plan.
I'm definitely intrigued to hear more.
Stay tuned because this deep dive is just getting started.
Picking up where we left off this transhumanism thing, it offers a pretty amazing vision of the future.
Like, imagine a world where disease and disability are gone and human potential is amplified beyond anything we can even dream of.
OK, that sounds incredible.
Who wouldn't want to live longer, healthier lives?
And maybe boost our intelligence and creativity too.
Sign me up.
Right.
It's definitely alluring.
But like with any big change, we have to look at both the good and the bad.
And the essay definitely doesn't shy away from exploring the potential downsides of this whole transhumanist future.
Yeah, it starts to get a little creepy pretty quickly.
Like, one of the biggest red flags for me is this potential for total surveillance.
Surveillance?
In what way?
Imagine brain-computer interfaces that can track every single thought and behavior you have.
All that data feeding into some AI system.
It's basically a thought crime police state, just like something out of a dystopian novel.
Oh, wow.
Yeah, I see what you mean.
If our thoughts and emotions become data points, what happens to privacy?
What happens to freedom of thought?
Exactly.
And then there's this issue of coerced integration.
Like, what if getting these technological augmentations becomes a requirement for, you know, everything?
Getting a job, accessing health care, participating in society.
So people who choose not to upgrade get left behind.
That's the worry.
And the essay paints a really bleak picture of what could happen to those who opt out.
They call them legacy humans.
It talks about AI-powered oppression with a technologically enhanced military or police
force keeping these legacy humans in check.
That's a chilling thought.
It reminds us that technology is never neutral.
Yeah.
It can be used for good or for bad.
And as AI and other technologies become more powerful, we really have to think about how
to prevent them from being used for oppression.
For sure.
You know, it's not just physical oppression either.
The essay argues that this whole transhumanist movement itself is like a covert spiritual
war on human nature.
A spiritual war.
What do they mean by that?
It's like we're being asked to redefine what it even means to be human, to merge with
machines or face the consequences.
It makes you think about those big philosophical questions.
Yeah.
Like, what is consciousness?
What role should technology play in our evolution?
What values do we want to prioritize as a society?
These are huge questions.
Right.
And the essay uses this analogy of shots fired in a revolution, implying that one big breakthrough
could completely change the course of human history.
And once we cross that line, there's no going back.
That's a powerful image.
It brings a sense of urgency to the whole discussion.
Definitely.
So it feels like we're at a crossroads.
On one hand, we have this incredibly exciting vision of a technologically advanced future.
But on the other hand, we have these dystopian possibilities that are honestly pretty terrifying.
The choices we make today will have consequences for a long time to come.
Exactly.
So we have to have these tough conversations about the ethical, social, and philosophical
implications of AI and transhumanism before it's too late.
I agree.
We need to be proactive and think critically about these issues.
It's not just about the technology itself.
It's about the philosophy behind it.
Are we blindly chasing progress without understanding the potential costs?
That's the question we need to ask ourselves.
And that brings us back to that big question the essay leaves us with.
What does it mean to be human in an age of rapidly advancing technology?
As AI gets more powerful, what choices will we make?
Will we embrace the merge?
Resist it?
What does your gut tell you?
It's a question we all need to wrestle with.
There are no easy answers.
But that's what makes this so fascinating, right?
We're in uncharted territory, and the choices we make will shape the future of humanity.
It's like we're standing at the edge of this huge cliff,
and we don't know what's at the bottom.
It's exciting and terrifying all at once.
And the craziest part is that it's not just about some fancy new gadget.
This is about what it means to be a human being.
It's pretty deep stuff.
It really is.
I think as we go deeper into this unknown territory, we need to be really careful.
We need to be aware of the potential dangers, but also open to the possibilities.
Yeah, it's a tough balance to strike.
Like we want to embrace progress and innovation,
but we also don't want to become slaged to technology.
Exactly.
And that's why it's so important to think critically and to be a little skeptical.
We can't just accept every new technology without asking questions about its impact.
We need to have these open conversations and really think about what kind of future we want to create.
Absolutely.
And those conversations need to be happening now, not later.
This deep dive into AI and transhumanism has really made me think.
Has anything in particular stood out to you?
What really strikes me is how urgent this all feels.
We're not talking about some far-off future anymore.
These technologies are changing things right now, and their impact is only going to grow.
You're right.
We can't just ignore it and hope it goes away.
So for everyone listening, what are your thoughts on all of this?
What role do you want technology to play in your life?
Are you excited about the potential of AI and transhumanism?
Or are you a little freaked out?
There's no right or wrong answer here.
The important thing is that we think about these questions carefully and have those tough conversations.
Well said.
This has been an incredible deep dive.
I feel like I've learned so much.
Me too.
It's been fascinating.
And I want to thank you for coming on the show and sharing your insights.
It's been a pleasure.
We've explored some heavy stuff today, but hopefully it sparked some curiosity and got everyone thinking about the future.
I hope so.
And for those listening, I encourage you to keep digging into these topics.
Read more.
Talk to your friends and family.
The more we discuss these things, the better prepared we'll be to make informed decisions.
Absolutely.
Well, on that note, we'll be back soon with another deep dive into something that will make you think differently about the world.
Until then, keep exploring, keep questioning, and keep those minds open.