I wish someone could find a way to use an AI platform to fact check every single thing that’s put into the media ecosystem. If only we knew that what we’re reading is truth or not, we could be more empowered with decisions.
I am much more pessimistic about this. I feel the 'community verified' train has left the station. I think it serves a cynical purpose for the platform owners not to fact-check.
In my view, it comes down to ego. I think on balance, Musk wouldn't take it very well if he were told he is wrong and he is often mixing a lot of lies with truths in his 'public square'.
Although, of course - any truth verification is welcomed.
Can you pls explain the significance of the imminent arrival of AGI? What will this actually mean? Will it mean that there is one answer to every question? Will the AGI have ultimate authority because it is super intelligent? Who bestows this authority? I cannot see why AGI matters at all in a society that de-values intelligence but upweights celebrity, distrusts experts but builds up the layman and downplays consensus while fuelling conspiracies.
The first-order implications of AGI are the ones we hear about all the time. It will likely mean lightspeed advances in scientific knowledge, technology, engineering, and more. It will mean rapid economic disruption, because AI will be capable of performing much of the knowledge work currently done by people.
These are all significant impacts.
I sense another impulse behind your question, though. One that is saying: 'who says we should bestow ultimate authority on some superintelligent machine?'
I share that impulse. We should not grant such a machine ultimate authority over us. In a world of AGI, it still falls to us to do what only humans can do. We must still decide what is beautiful, what is good, what justice looks like, and so much more.
Those questions can only be answered by us. And, of course, we'll never all agree on just one answer.
But partly because of natural human bias. We always seem to think we're in a pivotal moment in history. It's why standing ovations at theater productions have become obligatory: we are compelled to create an environment that makes us believe we are "witnessing history".
And as Roy Amara famously said, "We tend to overestimate the effect of a technology in the short run and underestimate the effect in the long run." So at most what we might see in the calendar year (an arbitrary cutoff, really) are the beginnings of real change.
I am intrigued by your long-held thesis about the accelerationists vs the anti-machinists. I just don't believe it will be as binary as you presume. With the (toxic) cloud of information and misinformation available everywhere now, we are no longer in an era of stratified poles but rather "salad bar" extremism.
Re the image of the fires in Los Angeles that you featured this essay provides an interesting perspective on Los Angeles and California as a fools "paradise" which aint safe for either human and non-human beings.
For Sapiens to move forward in EITHER realm, somewhere/somehow/someone must establish a collection of TRUST ORGANIZATIONS. Perhaps similar to the Ground News app which shows sources and their general political leaning: Left/Center/Right. Perhaps a numerical indication 5-blue=>very left / 1-right=> slightly right. Combine with a Topic-Center-Discussion where interested parties can "debate" their "facts" (hopefully no alternative-facts).
You may have already come across it but please check out the essay Ecology of Fear Mike Davis' History of LA by Alexander Howard featured on The Conversation
It's truly bizarre. It's as if ten houses of cards are collapsing at once. I want to write stories and notes about NASA's Europa mission and memories of Afghanistan... but there's just TOO MUCH going on!
David--You are 100% right, I binged last night on 3 award-winning documentaries about climate change. Message loud and clear--we missed the tipping point and radical change is inevitable. Heartbreaking-but the documentaries are evidence/science based. I'm about to lauaanch a healthspan resort and now I ask..why would anyone want to extend life given what's to come.
David, with a heavy heart I agree 100% Last night I biinged on 3 award-winning documentaries evidence & science based hosted by known scientists mostly about climate change but the message was load and clear. We (earth and humanity) lost the game--we have passed thr break point and destinary is questionable. It all ties together concurrently I am launching a lifespan resort--asking myself what's the point? Maybe we won't want to live longer, the way things are going. Hmmmm.
I wish someone could find a way to use an AI platform to fact check every single thing that’s put into the media ecosystem. If only we knew that what we’re reading is truth or not, we could be more empowered with decisions.
I have a feeling we'll soon see AI features such as this from the big platforms, and new platforms offering 'AI truth verification' and so on.
I am much more pessimistic about this. I feel the 'community verified' train has left the station. I think it serves a cynical purpose for the platform owners not to fact-check.
In my view, it comes down to ego. I think on balance, Musk wouldn't take it very well if he were told he is wrong and he is often mixing a lot of lies with truths in his 'public square'.
Although, of course - any truth verification is welcomed.
Can you pls explain the significance of the imminent arrival of AGI? What will this actually mean? Will it mean that there is one answer to every question? Will the AGI have ultimate authority because it is super intelligent? Who bestows this authority? I cannot see why AGI matters at all in a society that de-values intelligence but upweights celebrity, distrusts experts but builds up the layman and downplays consensus while fuelling conspiracies.
The first-order implications of AGI are the ones we hear about all the time. It will likely mean lightspeed advances in scientific knowledge, technology, engineering, and more. It will mean rapid economic disruption, because AI will be capable of performing much of the knowledge work currently done by people.
These are all significant impacts.
I sense another impulse behind your question, though. One that is saying: 'who says we should bestow ultimate authority on some superintelligent machine?'
I share that impulse. We should not grant such a machine ultimate authority over us. In a world of AGI, it still falls to us to do what only humans can do. We must still decide what is beautiful, what is good, what justice looks like, and so much more.
Those questions can only be answered by us. And, of course, we'll never all agree on just one answer.
I'm not convinced that 2025 is going to be particularly special. Partly because of past professions about 2025 are a bit laughable, e.g.: https://www.weforum.org/stories/2020/06/17-predictions-for-our-world-in-2025/
But partly because of natural human bias. We always seem to think we're in a pivotal moment in history. It's why standing ovations at theater productions have become obligatory: we are compelled to create an environment that makes us believe we are "witnessing history".
And as Roy Amara famously said, "We tend to overestimate the effect of a technology in the short run and underestimate the effect in the long run." So at most what we might see in the calendar year (an arbitrary cutoff, really) are the beginnings of real change.
I am intrigued by your long-held thesis about the accelerationists vs the anti-machinists. I just don't believe it will be as binary as you presume. With the (toxic) cloud of information and misinformation available everywhere now, we are no longer in an era of stratified poles but rather "salad bar" extremism.
Re the image of the fires in Los Angeles that you featured this essay provides an interesting perspective on Los Angeles and California as a fools "paradise" which aint safe for either human and non-human beings.
http://www.truthdig.com/articles/killing-california-for-a-snack
For Sapiens to move forward in EITHER realm, somewhere/somehow/someone must establish a collection of TRUST ORGANIZATIONS. Perhaps similar to the Ground News app which shows sources and their general political leaning: Left/Center/Right. Perhaps a numerical indication 5-blue=>very left / 1-right=> slightly right. Combine with a Topic-Center-Discussion where interested parties can "debate" their "facts" (hopefully no alternative-facts).
You may have already come across it but please check out the essay Ecology of Fear Mike Davis' History of LA by Alexander Howard featured on The Conversation
It's truly bizarre. It's as if ten houses of cards are collapsing at once. I want to write stories and notes about NASA's Europa mission and memories of Afghanistan... but there's just TOO MUCH going on!
https://jmpolemic.substack.com/p/a-few-of-their-favorite-things
https://jmpolemic.substack.com/p/systematically-ignoring-policy-failure
https://jmpolemic.substack.com/p/quietly-correcting
It's definitely not just you though. Things feel very strange. The culture is pregnant.
The falcon cannot hear the falconer;
Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold;
Mere anarchy is loosed upon the world,
The blood-dimmed tide is loosed, and everywhere
The ceremony of innocence is drowned;
The best lack all conviction, while the worst
Are full of passionate intensity.
David--You are 100% right, I binged last night on 3 award-winning documentaries about climate change. Message loud and clear--we missed the tipping point and radical change is inevitable. Heartbreaking-but the documentaries are evidence/science based. I'm about to lauaanch a healthspan resort and now I ask..why would anyone want to extend life given what's to come.
David, with a heavy heart I agree 100% Last night I biinged on 3 award-winning documentaries evidence & science based hosted by known scientists mostly about climate change but the message was load and clear. We (earth and humanity) lost the game--we have passed thr break point and destinary is questionable. It all ties together concurrently I am launching a lifespan resort--asking myself what's the point? Maybe we won't want to live longer, the way things are going. Hmmmm.