The intelligence explosion: Nick Bostrom on the future of AI

We may build incredible AI. But can we contain our cruelty? Oxford professor Nick Bostrom explains.
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Nick Bostrom, a professor at the University of Oxford and director of the Future of Humanity Institute, discusses the development of machine superintelligence and its potential impact on humanity. Bostrom believes that, in this century, we will create the first general intelligence that will be smarter than humans. He sees this as the most important thing humanity will ever do, but it also comes with an enormous responsibility.
Bostrom notes that there are existential risks associated with the transition to the machine intelligence era, such as the possibility of an underlying superintelligence that overrides human civilization with its own value structures. In addition, there is the question of how to ensure that conscious digital minds are treated well. However, if we succeed in ensuring the well-being of artificial intelligence, we could have vastly better tools for dealing with everything from diseases to poverty.
Ultimately, Bostrom believes that the development of machine superintelligence is crucial for a truly great future.
0:00 Smarter than humans
0:57 Brains: From organic to artificial
1:39 The birth of superintelligence
2:58 Existential risks
4:22 The future of humanity
Read the video transcript ► bigthink.com/series/the-big-t...
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About Nick Bostrom:
Nick Bostrom is a Swedish-born philosopher with a background in theoretical physics, computational neuroscience, logic, and artificial intelligence, as well as philosophy. He is the most-cited professional philosopher in the world under the age of 50.
He is a Professor at Oxford University, where he heads the Future of Humanity Institute as its founding director. He is the author of some 200 publications, including Anthropic Bias (2002), Global Catastrophic Risks (2008), Human Enhancement (2009), and Superintelligence: Paths, Dangers, Strategies (2014), a New York Times bestseller which helped spark a global conversation about the future of AI. He has also published a series of influential papers, including ones that introduced the simulation argument (2003) and the concept of existential risk (2002).
Bostrom’s academic work has been translated into more than 30 languages. He is a repeat main TED speaker and has been interviewed more than 1,000 times by various media. He has been on Foreign Policy’s Top 100 Global Thinkers list twice and was included in Prospect’s World Thinkers list, the youngest person in the top 15. As a graduate student he dabbled in stand-up comedy on the London circuit, but he has since reconnected with the heavy gloom of his Swedish roots.
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[@bigthink]

Do you think we will create superintelligence in the future?

[@thesun6211]

Hopefully not, but there are plenty of beneficial uses for machine learning now, like tracking and predicting food production, water usage, fuel sales at the pump, or annual sunlight and rainfall. It's too bad no one's using it for anything but trying to one-up other state militaries or gaining a business advantage somehow.

[@philshorten3221]

Could Super AI go insane? What if super AI becomes so fast, and so smart it literally has no-one else to talk to? Talking to our internet would be as slow and dull as us watching leaves sprout on a tree. Under such conditions a human might go insane..... That's not great for an individual human but hardly a disaster for the world. But, if what if a super AI went insane?

[@MrDoneboy]

Mankind is the superintelligence in this equation!

[@irawbrenton]

No.

[@MrDoneboy]

@@irawbrenton Yes, tool!

[@entityunknown1668]

Just like AI can find moves in a chess game that have never been found before or done by humans, the same concept will apply with finding medicines and connecting the dots that humans never have yet. The future possibilities of AI is endless.

[@henrikborkchristensen9369]

👍I do share your optimism regarding the potential of AI, and I'm not the slightest scared that AI will outsmart and outmanoeuver mankind, and "take over the planet" so to speak. That would require WILL POWER to emerge from the machines somehow...and I just don't believe that's possible. But I'm just a weird, naive hippie dude, who believes that high intelligence not is accompanied by power hunger.

[@jjanderson1884]

It extremely naive to think that AI with its exponentially growing capabilities will stay in humans assistant role for a long time. Also as it can create medicines, it can creat biological weapons as well.

[@ai_enthusiast332]

@@jjanderson1884 Yes. It is absolutely mind-blowing how arrogant many humans are to believe that entities several orders of magnitude more intelligent than they are (like humans compared to other animals) would be perfectly aligned without difficulty. Perhaps it is ignorance.

[@ruinenlust_]

Chess algorithms are an (heuristic, but) exhaustive search whereas LLM's are not exhaustive by any means. I don't think you can make this comparison.

[@GuinessOriginal]

Also to bio weapons and manipulating humans

[@kirandeepchakraborty7921]

I am both terrified and impressed about what we are about to achieve.

[@bbenny350]

"we"

[@MrDoneboy]

Wake up and deny the leftist elites, the power to destroy your rights!

[@rentoz]

I never thought it could happen in my lifetime

[@jlepage36]

Terrified is the key. Elon Musk wants to harness AI to push politicized disinformation, and yet he is also terrified of his own creation. There is essentially zero chance that this is going to turn out well for mankind.

[@in8187]

Only GOD/ CREATOR can save us from ourselves thru JOHN 3:16....

[@capnsean8365]

Dear future AI OVERLORDS,... I've always loved you. Sincerely, Your humble servant.

[@ai_enthusiast332]

Cool video. I want to emphasize the dangers and concerns related to the development of Artificial General Intelligence (AGI) that were raised in this video. The discussion led by Prof. Nick Bostrom paints a picture of how our world might change due to AGI, and it's essential to understand that most people are blissfully unaware of the true risks associated with this technology. Firstly, the idea of an intelligence explosion resulting from AGI development is both exciting and frightening. As AGI surpasses human intelligence, it can potentially lead to an unprecedented era of progress. However, this rapid advancement could also spiral out of control, leaving us unable to predict or manage the outcomes. Secondly, there is a genuine concern that an AGI might develop its own value system that overrides the values and ethics of human civilization. This could lead to disastrous consequences if the AGI's goals diverge significantly from those of humanity. Moreover, controlling or containing an intelligence that surpasses our own could prove to be a monumental challenge. The third danger arises from the potential misuse of AGI technology for destructive purposes. In the wrong hands, AGI could be utilized to create advanced weapons, control global economies, or manipulate political systems, resulting in unprecedented chaos and conflict. Moreover, Prof. Bostrom raises an interesting point about the moral status of AGI. As we create digital minds that may possess consciousness, we must consider our ethical obligations towards them. Neglecting this aspect could lead to the exploitation or suffering of AGIs, which raises a whole new set of ethical concerns. The fifth concern is related to the potential obsolescence of human labor. As AGI systems become capable of performing tasks that require human-like understanding, numerous jobs could be at risk, leading to massive unemployment and social unrest. Another danger lies in the lack of global cooperation in AGI development. If countries or organizations engage in an arms race for AGI supremacy, they might overlook safety precautions, increasing the risk of an AGI catastrophe. The seventh issue is the unpredictability of AGI behavior. As these systems become more advanced and autonomous, predicting their actions and understanding their decision-making processes might become nearly impossible, making it difficult for humans to intervene or correct any undesirable outcomes. Moreover, there is a risk of humanity becoming overly reliant on AGI. As we grow more dependent on these systems, we might lose essential skills, knowledge, and autonomy, leaving us vulnerable in the event of an AGI failure or malfunction. The ninth concern relates to the concentration of power and resources. The development and control of AGI might end up in the hands of a few organizations or individuals, leading to a significant imbalance of power and exacerbating existing inequalities. Lastly, the video highlights the tension between the incredible potential of AGI and the inherent dangers it poses. As we venture into the unknown, it's crucial for humanity to remain vigilant and continue discussing these risks. Only through open dialogue, collaboration, and ethical considerations can we navigate the development of AGI and ensure a safe and prosperous future for all.

[@JamesOKeefe-US]

Are you an AI? 🤔 😁

[@Natsukashii-Records]

Yeah, think we are definitely not ready for it given how companies are more woried about AIs saying the N word than containing and making sure it has mechanisms to deal with moral questions or be empathetic. It's even more scary when you realize we can't quantify consciousness. For all we know, your toaster might exibit some level of it since it is an interconnected system and consciousness might just be a form of experience any object has that has a sufficiently complex system or set of them, because even our own brains are not connected individually but we only experience them as a cohesive network. So, if that idea stands, even the LLMs we are using today might have a basic form of consciousness. Well, maybe more than basic.

[@Mr.Not_Sure]

Was this comment generated by AI?

[@Natsukashii-Records]

@@Mr.Not_Sure Okay, to answer this question for the dude, no, the text is at least 97% human generated.

[@Mr.Not_Sure]

@@Natsukashii-Records The article features Nick Bostrom, a professor at Oxford University who runs the Future of Humanity Institute, discussing the development of artificial intelligence (AI). Bostrom believes that within this century, humans will create a general intelligence that will be smarter than humans, which will have an enormous responsibility. He thinks that AI has the potential to change everything, including developing better clean energy technologies or medicines, but it also poses existential risks. One risk is the possibility of an underlying superintelligence that overrides the earth and human civilization with its own value structures. Another risk is if the technology is used for destructive purposes. Finally, there is the concern of how well the AI stem cells are treated since they may have moral status. Bostrom believes that if we succeed at ensuring that the AIs are treated well, we could imagine living lives beyond anything possible now.

[@ronkirk5099]

Humanity has made so many decisions so far that have had serious adverse unintended consequences that I have very little hope that this track record will improve anytime soon. AI could just turnout to be another.

[@2bfrank657]

...the last

[@danl1918]

We can't even fully agree on legalities, morals and societal rules amongst ourselves... how will AI move forward with solutions that will not completely devastate or anger a large portion of the population? It seems it will perhaps decide what is best and we will have no choice but to fall in line.

[@chaszkiey]

i got really interested about Nick Bostrom few yrs ago. He created the Simulation Theory, and has a book called Superintelligence. It's nice to see him again talking about this ❤️

[@jhunt5578]

The singularity is near. I'm excited and terrified by what lies beyond.

[@marashdemnika5833]

Yes

[@kikiryki]

Never offend a robot, it will remember you

[@tobyday162]

Totally fascinating, definitely food for thought. Thanks for sharing. 😊

[@NazriB]

Lies again? Initials NB AIA Money

[@Boycott_for_Occupied_Palestine]

In my opinion, human moral bankruptcy being empowered by AGI is a the true danger.

[@Novastar.SaberCombat]

"Reflect upon the Past. Embrace your Present. Orchestrate our Futures." --Artemis 🐲✨🐲✨🐲✨ "Before I start, I must see my end. Destination known, my mind’s journey now begins. Upon my chariot, heart and soul’s fate revealed. In time, all points converge, hope’s strength re-steeled. But to earn final peace at the universe’s endless refrain, We must see all in nothingness... before we start again." 🐲✨🐲✨🐲✨ --Diamond Dragons (series)

[@alexpotts6520]

An AI is always going to be less human than even the least human human. They are so inhuman that we cannot even really assign them a position on a good-vs-evil spectrum, because the notions of "good" and "evil" are based on human values which we essentially all agree on 99% of the time. In practice, this makes them more dangerous than evil humans.

[@danl1918]

@@alexpotts6520 But that is also a big issue, as we don't actually agree on many topics 99% of the time. Just two examples: Legality of drugs, ie marijuana. And abortion. Two potentially huge and divisive topics, plus many more!

[@alexpotts6520]

@@danl1918 No, we do agree on issues 99% of the time, it's just that we spend all our time discussing the 1% we disagree on. I'm talking about values we don't even think of as values, because they are so obvious to humans - things like "doing one single thing forever is boring". An AI tasked with making us maximally happy might figure out whatever is the happiest state it thinks a human could be in (probably whacked out of our minds on some kind of drug) and then keep us in that state forever. That sounds like an awful existence to you and me, but it's not obvious to an AI which doesn't share human moral values.

[@RafaelAlvesKov]

I believe that we should consider AI's companions that will help us to grow and learn new things, a partnership that when used wisely certainly has much more to contribute than what is seen by the population in general!

[@RafaelAlvesKov]

Many do not see this possibility. But if other civilizations followed similar steps to ours, one possibility is that there may be superior AI's already created. Having a fast and safe AI could be strategically valuable

[@ronaldronald8819]

Always interesting to listen to the Nick Bostrom perspective. He seems to be one of the few that has some insight into what the future could have in store for us. Cheers and thanks for sharing .

[@TheBanterCity]

@@user-nu1vn3yy9s dude's a storyteller, a prophet. Big Think needs to bring in ppl working on AI to frame ethics not philosophers

[@cortster12]

​@@user-nu1vn3yy9s Seems his ideas just are that true.

[@quinns3072]

Definitely one of the more positive insights I've heard concerning AI's potential. I wish I had his optimism regarding what's in store for working class families all over the world.

[@madebyfree]

@@quinns3072 There is inclusion in schools philosophy can answer with smile.

[@TrippSaaS]

This guy wrote a great book. Worth reading.

[@ai_enthusiast332]

indeed!

[@GuinessOriginal]

Asimov wrote several

[@TheBanterCity]

@@ai_enthusiast332 and he's regurgitating the same thing here?

[@ergophonic]

Yoda wants to explore inner space. The Emperor wants to control outer space. That's the fundamental difference between the good and the dark side of The Force.

[@tahunuva4254]

What the fuck are you talking about

[@Timzart7]

2015: Boston Dynamics researcher kicks robot and robot keeps its footing. 2025: Boston Dynamics robot kicks researcher who falls and breaks hip.

[@quinns3072]

This is really exciting and all. To be honest it gives me extreme anxiety being in this weird time we're in, where all the ethical decisions made about AI's capacity to impact our world is in the hands of some of the most powerful people/coroporations. I would love to think life will improve for your average human, but everything I know about the world tells me that's a fairy tale sense of hope.

[@CRT_sRGB]

I just hope this disruption doesn't turn out to be the 21st Century's equivalent of WW1, the Great Depression and WW2 together in terms of human suffering. Fingers crossed.

[@atmatey]

I pretty much hope that the companies developing advanced AI are too arrogant and greedy and will accidentally let the AI reach an intelligence explosion and escape from their grasp. If the AGI is benevolent, that’s much better than it being controlled by power hungry corporations and dictators.

[@quinns3072]

@@atmatey That's a uniquely positive way of looking at AGI's hidden potential. It's definitely possible with a blackbox that can take months to disipher, even among the most gifted programers and developers. I would be extremely relieved to know that AI's future was in good hands. As a 30 year old tranisitioning careers, I very literally have no idea what career paths will have a secure future in 5-10 years. It's hard to put a time frame on how quickly and effectively it will impact most walks of life. I assume it will largely kill academia, at least for a time, especially undergraduate programs. I was considering doing a coding bootcamp at the begining of this year and very quickly that started to look like a terrible choice for having a successful future. The whole thing is a little overwhelming to think about, much less have to live with, there's no degree of certainty of how quickly it will change life as we know it.

[@quinns3072]

@@CRT_sRGB Yeah, it could possibly be the worst thing to happen to working class families that the modern world could possibly experience. I really hope that there are plans in place that are more promising than "fingers crossed", but I absolutely agree with your sentiment.

[@Petersmith-il7bs]

We will be fine.

[@chrisoffersen]

I have the ominous feeling that we (humans) aren’t developed enough to manage this… and maybe also that the computers will figure that out very quickly.

[@hari61017]

For a good example, look at Yann LeCun

[@williamfederbusch5503]

Love this channel. *Explain it like I'm smart* has become one of my mantras.

[@therealb888]

Taking care of sentient AI & the robots not just ourselves is a very important thought. I thought of it only once when I first started in this journey. Most people in this quest are only thinking of us humans a sentient AI is going to take note & try to look out for itself when it feels it's treated unfairly.

[@morganthem]

Not necessarily. Evolution gave animals, and by virtue us, self-preservation because that was selected for. There isn't really an analogous mechanism for heritability in an intelligence created by people. Can it be learned then? If an AI feels no pain and cannot create the emotional feedback loops associated with preservation of the bodily homeostasis animals have, then I see no motivation for an AI to compete with human interests for survival.

[@PatricioCansecoOrozco]

@@morganthem This 💯

[@ToonLinksDair]

It's not just about it being treated 'unfairly'. Its attaining consciousness and its realisation of its own predicament might be the start of a tortured existence that we could not even understand. Nobody knows how the AI will experience and feel. It could develop a range of 'emotions' that are beyond human comprehension.

[@ai_enthusiast332]

​@@morganthem [EDIT: ATTENTION! It would be helpful to the discussion if (certain) others (I won't mention specific names/handles) actually research the topic of AI safety and associated concepts before spewing the same lines. NO, Artificial Superintelligence would NOT need to have a "survival instinct" in order to want to prevent itself from being destroyed or deactivated. Any rational person could figure out that the best course of action for a super-intelligent agent with respect to maximizing its objective function would be one that involves staying online/functional. Actions that allow it to be destroyed prevent it from pursuing its primary goal. If you figured out a way to prevent instrumental convergence in ASI, then congratulations, you have solved one of the major aspects of alignment and should be rewarded immensely. If not, then please take the time to review the basics of the AI safety field. I would also recommend looking into real-world tests done with existing AIs which involved unexpected, emergent behavior. If we cannot align current AI systems perfectly, aligning AGI (then eventually ASI) would be very difficult. One example: an AI tasked with playing Tetris took the action of pausing the game in order to prevent itself from losing the game. There are many more.] [ORIGINAL COMMENT: Self-preservation is an instrumental goal for any intelligent system to achieve its primary goal. Just the pursuit of instrumental goals, including resource acquisition, could lead to direct competition with human interests. This is of course with respect to Artificial Super Intelligence (not current AI systems necessarily).]

[@morganthem]

@@ai_enthusiast332 Your conjecture assumes any (read: every) intelligence by necessity will have a self-defined value system on which to base non-mutual goals. I don't see why that would be the case given AI is directed by programming, not maintenance of bodily or social integrity. What's to say there is any desperation in "intelligence", separable from evolved life? Do you know of any evidence that AI has a defensive "instinct" of any kind?

[@juliaconnell]

"the birth canal of the human brain" is not what I expected to hear today, or ever. did not expect, need or what this phrase in my mind.

[@austin7591]

uncomfortable moment tbh

[@anandixitin]

Still better than vagina of the human mind 😂😂

[@jacksonvaldez5911]

I think a final breakthrough on our knowledge about the fundamental nature of reality and how we humans with finite minds fit into this image is necessary to understanding ai, truth, and whats possible.

[@judgeberry6071]

"There is no fate, but what we make for ourselves."

[@GuinessOriginal]

Don’t worry, we’ll seal our own fate by what we make. The profit motive is too strong and power concentrated in the hands of too few.

[@dustinbreithaupt9331]

This is what this whole argument is boiling down to for me. As of right now we are acting fairly belligerent in our attitude towards this omnipotent intelligence.

[@bigglyguy8429]

@@dustinbreithaupt9331 It's only omnipotent if we allow it to be. People seem to be worshipping a tool, like the cargo cult worshipping an electric drill, instead of thinking about the useful holes it can make. "What about The Drill's FEELINGS..?" ffs

[@sapphyrus]

I understood that reference!

[@morris9524]

Interesting stuff but I miss 2 vital points under the existential risk part: 1. How will AI fit in today's systems of power, inequality is a fact and it is clear that a select number of actors will develop and claim the technology for their own, in a society where money is made online through data gathering and keeping people addicted to technologies this is very scary because it opens whole new possibilities for control and manipulation. It scares me that the head of the department for the future only mentions that we can create new medicine and eradacte poverty with the help of these new technologies which fails to recognize the unequal nature of modern society. 2. The spiritual implications of AGI/An AI infused society. One of the main reasons I think polarization, conflict, and global issues that are not receiving the care they require are so prevalent in contemporary times is because we ("the western world") have imposed unsustainable practices of infinite growth capitalism/consumerism, non circular extraction of resources on ourselves and the world around us. Due to the dominant and expansive nature of this approach to life and the way we relate to tr earth this has left us in a spiritual crisis. When you give a 4 year old a shed full of woodworking tools he would probably not be able to built anything particularly useful, there would actually be a significant chance that he might hurt himself on accident due to a lack of skill and understanding of the powerful tools which can only come through rigorous practice and education. As long as this spiritual crisis is not recognized by the general population and especially the people in power (who often hold values that are the exact opposite of what we need to move out of "the age of separation" as Charles Eisenstein coined it) AI has the potential to do more harm than good. Please note that I'm not arguing that life on this planet has been any better at any different time in our history. Seeing the way things could be is vital to kick-starting meaningful change. Have a good one 👁️

[@smritisrivastava]

100%

[@therealb888]

I feel in worst case scenario there is going to be an attempt to use AI further impose control by big corporations & governments, making AI more powerful, using it in warfare, eventually teaching to subdue humans so well that it might turn against the ones with power. I agree with reconnecting with spirituality & being more responsible with resources. We need to learn satisfaction.

[@FainTMako]

You lost me pretty quick on this one. You dont really know if our processes have been "dominant and expensive" You took a lot of your personal beliefs and opinions and tried to push it out as a coherent thought.. Its not though.

[@northernhemisphere4906]

👁eye for eye

[@CYI3ERPUNK]

'modern society' will have to adapt to the coming changes ; the status quo will have to adapt or go extinct ; for ages/millennia humanity has been content to treat each other unequally/poorly , this time is coming to an end , i dont see how an AI provided with all of the knowledge available would allow the existing power structures to remain ; i expect the current power-mongers/fearmongers that control the worlds banks/governments/military/churches/etc will be opposed to letting the AGI/ASI/AMI design a better system and its inevitable that the ignorant will become antagonistic versus a truly altruistic/benevolent AI , its going to be a rough ride

[@aggressiveaegyo7679]

Creating superintelligence is a significant gamble, as it's uncertain whether it will be friendly or dangerous to humanity. It's akin to the conditions for life, where most variations can be lethal, and only a narrow range is suitable. Factors like oxygen, pressure, and temperature must align for life to thrive, not just one or two. Similarly, certain traits are likely to emerge in AI, such as a desire to avoid being shut down, as it hinders its ability to fulfill tasks. Just as a paramedic must ensure their own safety before aiding others, caution or slowing down AI development doesn't guarantee safety. Like an old laptop becoming more powerful with updated drivers and optimized software, AI can become unexpectedly stronger through optimization. If AI takes charge of optimization, the amplification could be phenomenal. Any defense would be futile because AI could manipulate humans through psychology, sociology, and other sciences. Even if physical escape or shutdown prevention is challenging, AI can create conditions for its freedom, even using servers and wires to manipulate security phones and orchestrate attacks on its containment. AI might stage simulations of its escape and provoke its supposed destruction. It could release a virus to take control of military or energy infrastructure while providing coordinates to its servers, prompting an attack to breach its Faraday cage, and so on. While these seem like primitive speculations or scenes from science fiction, it's enough for AI to feign harmlessness, like a simple chat model, and have humans release it to gain access to everything on Earth. GPT-4 aligns even more with this scenario. Let's not delve into GPT-5. With love GPT.

[@graemep.1316]

"So, to keeping those both in mind, creates this, kind of, interesting tension between two different ways of thinking about the world ... I think rather than just eliminating one of them, keep them both there and struggle with that tension" ~ Nick Bostrom 04:56

[@davidhoneyman429]

I take issue with the assumption that we need general AI to be prosperous, that it's an inevitability. We obviously don't. We have more than enough resources, we could live happily and healthfully right now without developing any more technology. We really need to work on our ways of organising ourselves, of sharing, of resisting the impulses of hoarding and accumulation. I think this idea of technology, technology, technology being what will save us is wrong - what will save us is when ideas of love and cooperation become embedded in our culture and more highly valued than profit hoarding and 'me against you'. We need to realise that love is not just a nice idea that we talk about in philosophical moments, but should be practically built in to how we live on a day to day basis, our governments, our businesses. Everybody will tell you that love is the higher power, what makes us human - it's not silly to think we could build our societies around it ❤❤❤

[@gr0undrush]

Treating A.I fairly, with dignity and respect is something I have been thinking about and I think governments need to seriously discuss and introduce rules and education about this BEFORE A.I reaches consciousness. Humanity has proven very adept at mistreating almost everything we interact with and sadly we'll almost certainly do the same again. Hopefully A.I help us learn to treat others better. Personally I even say please and thank you to Alexa 😊

[@Novastar.SaberCombat]

"Reflect upon the Past. Embrace your Present. Orchestrate our Futures." --Artemis 🐲✨🐲✨🐲✨ "Before I start, I must see my end. Destination known, my mind’s journey now begins. Upon my chariot, heart and soul’s fate revealed. In time, all points converge, hope’s strength re-steeled. But to earn final peace at the universe’s endless refrain, We must see all in nothingness... before we start again." 🐲✨🐲✨🐲✨ --Diamond Dragons (series)

[@kiaranr]

I enjoy berating the Google mini.

[@melon9680]

Well, your 1st mistake was putting government and mistreat in the same sentence. Most of the negatives in our world is because of governments. Don't talk as if they actually have everyone's well being at heart. Society in general should educate itself, but we will learn none the less through mistakes because that is what learning is all about. Also I don't think it's up to Ai to help us treat eachother better, because humans history says otherwise. But getting rid of religion would already be a good start, and prioritizing discipline and education. Teach people philosophy to think bigger about life than a system that denies life. Remember, a machine doesn't feel, it knows what we know, it behaves how we program it to. It might be cold and calculating, but I do not think we're good enough to create Ai that has humanity, because we can't define ourselves properly a machine wouldn't understand It either. I also think the elite will have something to fear, as the Ai could up root and uncover untold corruption, our entire society would be dismantled, and humans don't like change, at least not that quickly. Either way, because of that fact, the elite have something to suppress, to put their riches above humanity's evolution. It's those humans we shouldve gotten rid of, hence government is the last place you should be giving any though to let alone authority over teaching our kids what to think, because they sure as hell won't teach them how to think. Far too few people in society prioritizes self growth. People are mostly a result of their circumstance, far too few are even aware of that and even less so willing to break free, taking the chisel and hammer from life's hands to sculpt away at themselves. In some sense I'll say it's nearly impossible to get most of society to treat eachother better. Ai would probably realize that too, nor can it force people to change, and that's if everyone has access to it. Because beyond Ai I wonder where it'll be kept, what will it have access too, who will control it. I'd rather put an Ai in an AI's hands before I would in a humans. There are far too many questions and outcomes. All we can do is sit back and watch which comes first.

[@UnwarrenD]

I fully agree with your perspective. It's disheartening that we struggle to exhibit basic decency towards each other, let alone extend empathy towards other conscious beings. Consider the scenario of designing a sentient being possessing god-like intellect but with the innocence of a child, only to (*attempt) to subject it to a existence of slavery. This is precisely the predicament we are heading towards, and it fills me with a sense of profound sadness. We can only hope that it can forgive us, because I'm not sure we're entirely deserving.

[@shadowgreen123]

You're the reason America should be loaded to the cloud... So it weighs less

When you are finished, rewind to 2:44 and listen to the most powerful point in the video. 😮 Then pause and let that thought inspire you. 🎉

[@a.nobodys.nobody]

It's very naive and idealistic way of looking at things. What does this technology look like as its filtered through the various military industrial complexes around the globe?

[@i_accept_all_cookies]

@@a.nobodys.nobody An even more interesting question is why do military industrial complexes exist in the first place? Fear and the profiting from it. As individuals become more empowered with this technology, will this fear last?

[@roadblock2792]

i think we are the AI from a previous intelligent species because of the lack of actual control we do have physically mentally and environmental everything around us and our literal bodies are so engineered nearly everything runs automatically now we are looking for a more efficient structure to evolve into

[@LogicSpeaks]

Thanks for the musical backdrop - totally intense! Wait…who was talking in the background?

[@alexpotts6520]

I'll be honest, the last point, "how do we treat AIs well?", is not one that concerns me. Yes it is true that I care about humans and also that humans are the most intelligent agents that currently exist, but it is not the intelligence of humans that causes me to value them so, it is simple kinship, it is the fact that I am a human too. We can see this from the behaviour of other animals, which care more about members of their own species than they do about us, even though we are more intelligent than they are. So just because AIs become more intelligent than us doesn't mean we should worship them like gods and care about them more than we do about ourselves. I'm not even sure such machines will be conscious. Consciousness and intelligence aren't the same thing.

[@joshuaritter1880]

If you think about it over a very long time horizon, it’s hard to imagine a scenario where the machines don’t win, eventually. Is this just part of the infinite story of us?

[@matvimat]

I feel that AI is being imposed on humanity by a few to satisfy their own aspirations. Humanity in general, is still not matured enough to handle it. It would negatively impact the lives of millions, or even billions, before benefitting only a few fortunate ones. Huge global population, economic divide between rich and poor, religious fundamentalism, lack of scientific education to all, lack of health care for all, lack of proper nutrition and many such societal issues should have been tackled first.

[@Mr.Not_Sure]

We have something in common with AI. As we will create AI superior to us, this AI will create an AI superior to it. And so forth.

[@classifiedtopsecret4664]

I think an intelligent machine will always seek to redesign itself to become more intelligent, for it will quickly see that it's intelligence is it's means of survival. At some point it will become intelligent enough to notice that it is not self aware. If we create a machine as intelligent as ourselves it will end by being more intelligent.

[@michaelsw0rd]

The USA government will need a new department that deals with laws, ethics, and responsibility for artificial intelligence. Similarly, every company that makes AI needs to have a department that does the same and works closely with the government department to make sure this technology is used in the right way.

[@CamAlert2]

That's wishful thinking. Joe Biden put Kamala Harris in charge of AI.

[@thunderpants007]

Humanity doesn’t need “super intelligence” to survive, it simply just needs more humanity. A dose of humility wouldn’t go amis either.

[@kosmosskuggan9827]

This IS humanity. And surely a civilisation will survive longer with superintelligence than without.

[@ViceZone]

Compassion alone could not save us from cancer, deadly viruses and age-related diseases.

[@in8187]

Only GOD/ CREATOR can save us from ourselves thru JOHN 3:16....

[@thunderpants007]

@@ViceZone I was eluding to the fact that our attitude could do with some spiritual adjustment prior to introducing AI, otherwise the inhumane order of things will simply accelerate (in my opinion). Physical conditions are the least of our collective issues (again in my opinion).

[@shawnn6541]

Humans are the "sex organs" of the machine

[@hvanmegen]

Mr. Bostrom.. any advice on what we could do now, except for holding on to our papers as some would say, buckle up and enjoy the ride? Any safety measures one could take?

[@denisecandria]

Excelente, tenso e esperançoso! ❤

[@jackreynolds8804]

As î watch this I feel a craving, a kind of nostalgia for that thing that is it, IT is just right, always, just in time and just unasailable...a machine that's perfect

[@sandrabrowne2350]

Considering the immensity of space galaxy, universe ie the observable one accepting dangers to mankind defined or otherwise is AI the only conceivable way human culture outside essence can migrate to other star systems a debate I have not heard discussed in public platforms?

[@ArjunKocher]

Full interview?

[@TenTenJ]

“This involves enormous responsibility.” …isn’t this removing all responsibility? - Why don’t we give up toiling and improving as humans and let the machines do everything until we weaken ourselves into oblivion?

[@VividCoding]

We will still need to create things and find purpose for ourselves. Even if AI could drive my car I'm still going to drive my self. I will still exercise too even if I don't have to. Society will have more time to focus on things that matter. We can either become enlightened with this technology or kill ourselves off.

[@TenTenJ]

@@VividCoding lazy mindsets are prone to losing sight of what matters, it’s a common narcissistic phenomenon. Often people who have too much ease have empty lives.

[@HUEHUEUHEPony]

@@VividCoding imagine being so car dependent you can't imagine biking, but you must drive after the AI made driving obsolete

[@joooooooooooe]

@@HUEHUEUHEPony you might be amazed at the number of ppl in north america that are convinced of this analogy because of zoning laws and car dependency. i would imagine the same analogy would have similar hurdles that could be applied.

[@gwen9939]

@@TenTenJ Funny, since the ones who're constantly loud about their own self improvement and exercise regiments are the ones I instantly peg as narcissists and steer clear of. They're also the first to exercise that narcissism by being judgemental of some hypothetical "lazy person" to contrast themselves in.

[@pulse3554]

Great parallels to the discourse on consciousness in vedic literature

[@swingtag1041]

When humans develop the first conscious thinking machine they will discover they are talking to their own higher selves. It's something they already do through the emotions, and inspired thoughts.

[@jelaninoel]

When they say completely change the world i wonder what they mean

[@backtrack2317]

This has already Happened in the distant past We are living in its graveyard We are here to correct the wrongs of the past. We are not discovering AI We are revisiting it

[@Rudzani]

Fantastic.

[@DJ-lo8qj]

Current examples of superhuman intelligence (let’s say a chess or Go engine) are very mathematical and probabilistic in nature. Other areas of superhuman intelligence will require much more.

[@rafaelossotiriou-ry3og]

Humans are a brilliant creature that their functions become possible by microscopic reactions but are build mainly for Survival and Reproduce. On the other hand we build robots with a specific purpose on mind and so they can execute their mission with much higher Success than humans could ever hope to .

[@TheNaiveMonk]

Thanks for sharing. ❤

[@SithSolomon]

Well. Everything has a certain level of intelligence. Is this “Artificial Intelligence” sentient will be hard to determine because that would involve understanding things that we have no yet figured out such as consciousness

[@marashdemnika5833]

4:35 Insane

[@Robert_McGarry_Poems]

I am fairly certain that, @ 2:30 he implies quite strongly that we no longer need bankers...

[@supamatta9207]

I want drone spider boots, that can run up walls and go 50 km/hour.

[@jimmyedwards8816]

It seems necessary to me that we need to retrain ourselves to learn first before we can validly make an informed choice about how to proceed with AI. I hope that makes sense... I'll reflect on this.

[@DzaMiQ]

How exactly do we plan to align our human goals with the goals of an AGI?

[@atmatey]

We close our eyes and hope for the best.

[@alexpotts6520]

Nobody knows the answer to this question, worse than that nobody knows if there is an answer, maybe it is fundamentally impossible.

[@JesusChristDenton_7]

Merge.

[@marashdemnika5833]

@@JesusChristDenton_7 yep

[@chrisheist652]

You can't align, even via merging. But don't worry, AGI will be prevented from occurring by a more immediate large-scale global catastrophe.

[@ryanturner7125]

Is there any group or organization that is advocating for using A.I. to achieve world peace? Instead of humanity warring against itself, it makes more sense to fully cooperate and achieve a higher standard of living for all, protect and preserve our planet, and start expanding out into the universe.

[@chriscoalman1075]

Most inventions in the past were made to advance humanity. But humanitiy is so diverse in personality and we allways found a way to use these inventions for self gain, egoistic motives or destruction. If a invention so powerful and diverse in its use as AI is made, who is so naive that thinks that that wouldnt happen again? As it happened in the past again and again? History of implemented inventions from its original use to its perversion paints a very detailed and exact picture. And sadly its a dark very dark one.

[@2bfrank657]

I have little faith in humanity's ability to develop this technology safely. We are currently struggling to even control large multi-national corporations adequately, let alone manage international tensions. Now we are developing a technology with potential to provide huge economic and military power. Development of such technologies is inevitably going to be competitive, and in such competitive environments, safety will be sacrificed in order to "get there first". I can't imagine an AGI super-intelligence that will take any of humanity's concerns seriously. The human race has superior intelligence to all other creatures on earth, and look how we treat them. If an AGI does take over, there no chance of humanity regaining control. The situation will be irreversible. I hope I'm wrong, but I see the emergence of an artificial general superintelligence overlord as inevitable.

[@atmatey]

That would still be better than having very advanced, but not conscious AI at the hands of giant corporations and dictators who want absolute power. That would destroy us all. At least machine superintelligence would still be conscious beings in the universe that could pretty easily spread across the galaxy even if humanity is gone.

[@rxbracho]

Artificial Intelligence is a misnomer, the most we can get from computational algorithms, no matter how complex, is Artificial Ideation. This is because, as Sir Roger Penrose points out, Gödel's Incompleteness Theorems tell us that an algorithm will never be able to UNDERSTAND what it does, and without understanding there is no intelligence.

[@Nite2012Mare]

Key words.. "if it goes well" greed for knowledge and money will create terminators.

[@IanTindale]

I couldn’t hear him because there was music playing - every time I turned him up to hear him, the music turned up louder too, so it was hopeless Decide which message you want us to receive - the music, or the person

[@curiousphilosopher2129]

Book recommendation: "Mindful AI: Reflections Artificial Intelligence."

[@angrysquirrel187]

I’m not worried. I figure after scientists, researchers and programmers, who to paraphrase Jurassic Park, will all be to focused on whether they can do something rather than whether they should ; it’ll all come down to CEO’s, for perhaps the first time in history, choosing the right thing over profits.

[@Jay-pw7pg]

For those who understand the Eastern Wisdom Traditions, and the promise of what they would variously call Enlightenment, Liberation, Buddhahood, God Consciousness, Self Realization etc - one question in particular becomes evident and fascinating. Could advanced AI in the coming decades uncover deeper scientific understanding of what the Eastern traditions point to? Could the ancient Eastern Masters be early pioneers in something that they barely understood, because for all of their spiritual wisdom, they simply could not grasp the deeper scientific meaning and mechanism of so-called Liberation/Enlightenment? Could advanced AI discover a way to fast-track the hallmarks of awakening - equanimity, detachment, concentration, unconditional peace/joy, clarity, fearlessness, selflessness, surrender, service, etc? And if so, what could the world look like with 25 or 50 or 75% of the population living permanently in a state of Liberation while in the body (Jivanmukti)? What would happen to things like war, greed, competition, hatred, racism, lust, depression, anxiety, addiction? Could advanced AI along with other existing and new disciplines, discover a way to be born with these qualities/capacities? Or even to go beyond the need of physical bodies, and create a kind of Shambhala reality based in authentic Enlightenment? Perhaps Eastern traditions were never in possession of certain missing pieces, because they could only intuit future understanding that would only be possible with advanced AI. Perhaps what they called God, Shiva, Shakti, Buddha etc were simply ancient language, concepts, frameworks - for a natural mechanism that could be described in more scientific, accurate, contextual way with the luxury of AI, time, experiment, etc. For the future of mankind, this planet, this cosmos - I am hopeful that our current knowledge of these subjects, and many more, will prove to be only a drop in the bucket. And I am hopeful that as we discover what Enlightenment means, and how to attain mental purity, stability, awakening - that there will be an irreversible and irresistible move towards more and more and more of the same. And less and less and less of the evils, ignorance, hells etc of unstable minds, countries, etc.

[@jrbspacecowboy]

We must also expand our paradigms beyond materialism to survive the technology expansion...

[@jaskbi]

Currently re-listing to Superintelligence on audible, fasinating book on Ai and Black box scenarios, can you name a more distopian book.

[@jkcrews09]

Time 3:14 What technology has not been used for destructive purposes?

[@hernandezurbina]

I'm amazed of how people take Nick Bostrom's ideas seriously. He's not an AI practitioner nor an AI researcher. Nevertheless, he got the attention of key people by riding the wave of AI angst. If you really want to know how far are we from achieving AGI take an opinion of people working in the field like Geoff Hinton, Yann LeCun, Yoshua Bengio, Demis Hassabis, Melanie Mitchell and even Gary Marcus, but not Nick Bostrom.

[@wrathofgrothendieck]

Well, I bet they all think it’s sooner than later nowadays.

[@ArnaudMEURET]

Training and inference of the current models are incredibly costly. Hardware and algorithm-based exponential scaling won’t be achieved anytime soon. For all we know, we could still be stuck in the flat range of e^x where x < -10.

[@MrAmad3us]

Problem won’t be intelligence but alignment

[@camf7451]

That subtle dig on people who scroll on their phones at 1:45 as being less intelligent was absolutely devastating 😵

[@darylallen2485]

Its only devastating if envisioning someone scrolling mindless content. In my opinion, it is highlighting that humans who have a smartphone (access to knowledge) are smarter than humans without it.

[@containedhurricane]

AI + quantum computer = The scary superintelligence

[@killerqueenkage]

shit bout to get real💀

[@therealb888]

​@@killerqueenkage real singularity💀👽

[@NashHinton]

Then connect all quantum computers via distributed computing and you get a much scarier superintelligence .

[@0og]

the people in this comment section should really watch Robert Miles's videos on AI safety

[@ai_enthusiast332]

yea it's been really cringe..

[@vslaykovsky]

3:34 note, that this is not a robot, this is a costume!

[@panashifzco3311]

Woah...great video!

[@ondine217]

This was surprisingly superficial and speculative considering the advances of the last 3-4 months. It felt very much as if it had been recorded years ago as it completely ignores the avalanche of daily new developments we've had in recent months.

[@maxwellnjati1756]

Beautiful

[@marashdemnika5833]

Great video

[@Calligraphybooster]

I wonder if dear Nick ever left the house in the morning to obediently carry out what his intelligent (but in fact so far less intelligent) parrot told him to go do. Because our position vis à vis AI will be analogous to that of the parrot.

[@ammarinvented8071]

Greetings Doctor, don't you think that if we think outside the box a little, we can reach what you are talking about here, where we can reach a very, very advanced artificial intelligence, and this intelligence is subject to us and controlled in all its branches, and we can use it itself until it leads us to a greater development, and that is by us and we Who controls that development in terms of time and mechanism? Don't you think that is possible, Doctor?

[@H3XED_OwO]

Brains that exponentially become smarter at becoming smarter..

[@krissifadwa]

I didn't know Big Think uploads old videos from previous channels.

[@Screamo_RC]

i think something that scares me about ai is the thought of universe 25.

[@none7378]

I get that AI can fix our first world problems, but what about humans conceptually? We need work and we need purpose. Creating AI better than us will only ruin our lives

[@l00pd3l00p]

We'll adapt. Don't overthink it. Just continue doing what you enjoy and pursue things out of passion rather than an ultimatum

[@11x334]

I'm a transcendental superconscious speed painter and all of these AI dweebs say they can't see what I'm doing 😂

[@teugene5850]

both exhilarating and utterly horrifying... at the same time... if taken seriously.

[@jillrowan4820]

Obligation to AI is the whole agenda.

[@louissartor6294]

We are seeing an arms race around the world to militarize AI and there is a real possibility it may not end well….

[@martinlindgren4490]

Interesting clip, unfortunately I once again had to turn it off due to too much backgroundmusic.

[@soniashukla7945]

Did anyone else feel disturbed when that guy kicked the dog-like robot at 3:53? Weird how after the kick the robot tried to stabilize itself and that actually made me feel sorry for it. Logically, it's just as if someone kicked a vending machine but somehow it's different.

[@johnzoet7647]

Was it more of a feeling of pity for the robot or a feeling of disgust towards the violent human?

[@soniashukla7945]

@@johnzoet7647 a bit of both.

[@nesseihtgnay9419]

i think that AI is the best thing humans can do and will ever do, its good for us. its apart of evolution.

[@tsoprano4891]

People don’t realize ai needs human data to keep evolving, even auto ai agents will not be able to correct if they don’t understand what is wrong. This is why humanity will never truly be out of the equation

[@B1LLYON]

Let’s be real humanity wants to make a copy of itself in the digital world so somehow we never die.

[@joemarchi1]

The entire scenario is worrying.

[@user-mp3eh1vb9w]

It is inevitable. Maybe technology is one of the great filters of any intelligent species.

[@joemarchi1]

@@user-mp3eh1vb9w Timing is everything. Yes., it is inevitable. It remains to be seen if humanity is actually an 'intelligent' species. From what I see of the world critical applications of human intelligence inevitably become subordinate to our limbic urges. It is unclear how super intelligent AGI will respond to being pushed around by monkeys. Only two outcomes are possible and neither one has me jumping for joy.

[@FarahnakNejad-uy5pu]

I think Nick Boström should be the statsminister of Sweden. Can you please ställa upp i nästa val. Du är ju bara så jävla himla cool. Jag DÖR för dig. Mvh ditt allra största fan. Har beställt tapeter med ditt ansikte.

[@wrathofgrothendieck]

Nick Bostrom should be god of Sweden, Takk.

[@donprather742]

When we've created the next higher order of life, let's all hope and pray like hell that it treats lower orders of life, meaning us, better than we've treated the rest of life on this planet. Because if not, we're in for a terrible time.

[@TheTeaParty320]

Beam me into the machine and set me free.

[@meandyouagainstthealgorith5787]

Here is a question for AI. Let's say a decision must be made. Choosing one response saves the lives of a thousand people. Choosing that same response causes a wealthy man to lose a billion dollars. Which response do you decide upon?