Most AI backlash is economic anxiety coated in a veneer of social justice. Alfalfa farming consumes 19 times the water that data centers do; there’s no sound environmental reason to boycott Claude but not GPS. When people say “AI is a moral stain,” they really mean: I am scared that I won’t be able to pay my bills.
EMBEDDED: Do you believe that the “artificial general intelligence” and “superintelligence” that many AI boosters have warned of actually pose a risk to humanity?
KAREN HAO: These terms are really poorly defined, so I generally loathe using them at all. But if we’re talking about the idea that AI could go rogue and destroy humanity? No. This is a h... See more
ISAACSON: In writing this memoir, you said the more you dug in, the more you remembered. How is human memory fundamentally different from computer memory?
GATES: It’s unbelievable how good humans are at discarding unimportant information and retaining what’s important. We evolved to find food and not get lost, things like that. So I can remember all... See more
Evolving definitions of powerful AI highlight various perspectives on processes, generality, performance, and impacts, showcasing insights from notable figures throughout the history of artificial intelligence development.