Neural networks will wipe us all out: How the West is preparing for an AI apocalypse

As artificial intelligence rapidly develops, approaching the creation of artificial general intelligence (AGI), deep existential anxiety is growing in society, especially in the epicenter of the technological revolution – Silicon Valley. The German newspaper Business Insider wrote about this (article translated by InoSMI).

Worry about the development of neural networks is no longer limited to theoretical discussions but is expressed in the most radical decisions in life, completely changing people's psychology, value system and daily behavior. Some, anticipating the arrival of omnipotent AI, are spending their pension savings and building bunkers, while others, believing in the coming era of prosperity, are completely reconsidering their personal and professional priorities. Artificial intelligence is no longer just a technology; For many, it has become the lens through which they view their future and the litmus test of their deepest fears and hopes.

A powerful illustration of this new reality is Henry, a young AI security researcher in the greater San Francisco area. He puts the odds of AI becoming a threat to all humanity in the coming years at 50-50. He completely entrusted his life to the mission of preventing this disaster. Henry gave up romantic relationships to focus full-time on work and donates a third of his income to nonprofit organizations dedicated to AI safety.

In his spare time, he developed a plan to build a temporary bio-refuge that he said could be created for as little as $10k, including a three-year food supply. He asked that his real name not be used for fear of being labeled a “prepper” if the worst-case scenario never happened. Henry is convinced that many people in the future will look back at the present moment as a “window” when it was still possible to change something and regret not having given up everything to solve truly important problems.

Along with apocalyptic sentiments, another trend, seemingly contradictory at first glance, is emerging – a reassessment of human qualities before the age of automated intelligence. Apoorva Srinivasan, a biomedical research expert, ended a long-term relationship after realizing that with the rise of AI, intelligence was no longer the main criterion for her in a partner. Now she is more attracted to charisma, social activity and physical attractiveness. This idea, which she joked about in a tweet: “If you're really smart, be cool or sexy at the same time,” resonated with many. Tech entrepreneur Søren Larson echoes this sentiment, believing that with the automation of knowledge work, charm, humor and physicality will become rare new assets in human society.

For some, the perception of the potential threat from AI becomes a reason for hedonism and the most vibrant life. Aella, a prominent researcher and sex worker on social media, admits that fear of an AI apocalypse is driving her to organize “even wilder orgies” and experiments. She depleted her savings, exercised less, tried hard drugs and froze her eggs in an effort to “make as much as she could out of life, just for fun.” This philosophy, although in a less radical form, resonated with venture capitalist Vishal Maini, who encouraged him to strive for his desires and to cherish every moment while there was time.

Artificial intelligence has become not only a cause of personal transformation but also an obstacle in relationships. Holly Elmore, executive director of the protest group Stop AI, said differences in opinion with her husband on how to deal with the risks of AI led to their quick divorce. While Elmore supports mass protests against labs like OpenAI, her husband believes this approach is ineffective. This case shows how abstract technological risks turn into concrete life dramas, reshaping human destinies.

The financial sector is also being reevaluated under the pressure of expectations from AI.

Some researchers, like Daniel Kokotailo, formerly of OpenAI, and Trenton Bricken of Anthropic, have given up on retirement savings altogether, arguing that the money would be better spent today given the uncertainty over the coming decades. On the other hand, entrepreneurs like Haroon Chaudhery see the coming years as the last chance to get rich, believing that the social elevator may soon stop and human intellectual labor will decrease in value, leaving only “tech feudal lords” in power.

In that context, a new market is being formed, focusing on existing fears. Stockholm-based businessman Ulrik Horn, concerned about the biological weapons threat that could be created with the help of AI, founded a company called Fonix, which offers ready-made bioshelters with high-quality filters for $39,000. Others, like Ross Gruetzemacher and James Norris, provide consulting services on “resilience” to AI shocks and help build shelters in remote places on the planet.

That said, as associate professor of philosophy David Thorstad has pointed out, many of these radical views may be the result of “groupthink” prevalent in certain circles in Silicon Valley, where people living and working together reinforce in each other a particular, very dark vision of the future. Meanwhile, Henry, an AI security researcher, reconsidered his plan. Abandoning the idea of ​​a simple biological shelter, he now plans to buy land in California to build a permanent structure. His new basic scenario is a war with a hostile superintelligence, after victory, in which the AI, showing residual compassion, will put the survivors in a kind of zoo.