The artificial intelligence (AI) moment is upon humanity. Unfortunately, there is no going back except the mind-boggling advancements. The AI enthusiasts follow the Silicon Valley mantra that “technology marches forward inexorably.”
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman told the New York Times in 2019 that “Technology happens because it is possible.”
The tech-optimists like Altman and proponents of “effective accelerationism” hold the view that Artificial General Intelligence (AGI) is inevitable. They view technological progress as unstoppable, driven by a “technocapital” engine.
The effective accelerationism manifesto reads: “This engine cannot be stopped. The ratchet of progress only ever turns in one direction. Going back is not an option.”
For technology enthusiasts, inventions take place as a fact of nature. However, in reality, technology is not some mystical force that progresses on its own. It is the product of humans’ deliberate choices and motivations.
Humans have the power to influence these forces and change the course of technology witnessed by history.
According to AI theorists, the AGI future is uncertain if humans choose to take helm as they fear that the development of human-level AI will either lead to post-scarcity techno-utopia or the complete annihilation of humanity.
Artificial General Intelligence evolution is historically controllable
Fortunately, there are certain instances in history when humans resisted and changed the course of innovations for the betterment of humanity.
For example, cloning was once considered a viable way for reproduction. But the scientists initially banned the experiments based on ethical reasons and then successfully regulated experiments on recombinant DNA in the 1970s. Resultantly, no human has been produced through cloning since over a decade.
Although nuclear power carries the immense potential to provide clean energy, the fears of destruction overpowered these motivations leading to stifling regulations and bans on enrichment.
The creation of the atomic bomb was a highly contingent outcome. Having witnessed the deadly effects of atomic bombs, the United States (U.S.) and Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR) nearly agreed to eliminate the nukes. It is all due to international cooperation and agreements, the nuclear weapons have been reduced by 80 percent since 1986.
The similar efforts and human authority can also be observed in climate advocacy. Despite offering huge economic incentives, the burning of fossil fuels has been slashed, leading to decarbonization efforts.
The young climate group Extinction Rebellion crippled London in 2019 with protests, demanding the UK target net-zero carbon emissions by 2025. Consequently, their protests compelled the parliament to declare a climate emergency and adopt a 2030 target to decarbonize the UK’s electricity production.
Given the supremacy of humans’ efforts, it is not a mistake to assume that the timeline for AGI development is more within human control than some inevitabilists claim.
If the possibility of AGI materialises in several years to come, humans can control it through formulating the AGI governance framework instead of outcompeting each other in this domain.
The draw of AGI is strong. The risks involved in this advancement are close to civilizational-ending however it can be regulated under controlled circumstances. Therefore, only concerted efforts could save humanity from AI-driven extinction.
Humans do not inherit technology. They create it and humans have the power to change its course.