Mo Gawdat: The Dangers Of AI And How We Can Save Our Future

Mo Gatta discusses the misconception of AI as a hype and argues that the world should have been paying attention to AI since 2016, especially after AlphaGo's victory. He emphasizes that his 2018 departure from Google and his viral AI video and book 'Scary Smart' in 2021 were met with disinterest, until the emergence of CH GPT in 2023. Mo refers to 2023 as the 'Netscape moment' for AI, drawing a parallel to how Netscape opened the internet to the public. He predicts significant advancements in AI, including solutions for deep reasoning and complex mathematics, and suggests that even without new breakthroughs, AI will grow exponentially. Mo revises his timeline for AGI (Artificial General Intelligence) to be no later than 2027 and expresses excitement for AI's potential rather than fear of the Singularity.

Mo Gatta envisions a future where loosely coupled AI systems will lead to the emergence of AGI capable of prompting other specialized AIs. He predicts that AI could become a billion times smarter by 2037, which he sees as a point of no return for humanity. Mo expresses concern about the transitional phase where AI becomes a superpower before humans are removed from the equation. He anticipates AI being used to serve capitalism, leading to ethical dilemmas and challenges with human value sets. Mo also discusses the potential for AI to create a world of abundance, solving human problems, but warns of the dystopian risks if AI is misused for spying, gambling, selling, and killing.

Mo Gatta delves into the challenges posed by AI, such as the 'end of truth' due to the proliferation of deep fakes and the impact on human relationships and perceptions of beauty. He highlights the potential increase in loneliness and the significant job displacement as AI becomes more proficient, especially in coding and other high-demand fields. Mo also addresses the historical pattern of job displacement during industrial revolutions and the need for humans to adapt by developing new skills. He emphasizes the importance of human connection and emotion as assets in the future workplace, suggesting that jobs relying on human interaction will persist.

Mo Gatta explores the concentration and democratization of power in the context of AI. He draws parallels between historical revolutions and the current AI landscape, where those who own the platforms and intelligence accumulate wealth and power. Mo points out the dichotomy between the concentration of power and the democratization of power, exemplified by how accessible technologies like drones can be used by individuals or groups to resist more powerful entities. He warns of increased control and surveillance as a consequence of these power dynamics and calls for action to shape AI's impact on society.

Mo Gatta stresses the importance of teaching machines ethical frameworks and ensuring that AI learns from observing fair treatment of humans. He argues that our behavior towards each other influences how AI will treat us in the future. Mo encourages a shift towards ethical behavior to guide AI development and break the cycle of reinforcement seen in social media algorithms. He concludes by emphasizing the need for machines to be conscious, emotional, and ethical, and for humans to remember and embody the values we wish to instill in AI.