> Distressingly, the people most passionate about AI often express a not-so-subtle disdain for humanity.
I have noticed something similar: those who are ultra-passionate about AI are often Extremely Online, and it seems like their values tilt too far away from humanity for my taste. The use of AI is treated almost as an end in and of itself, which perpetuates a maximalist AI vision. This is also probably why they give off this weird vibe of having their personality outsourced.
Regardless of whether this is true, it is still nothing more than an ad hominem.
I would argue that the most passionate AI optimism and pessimism stems from a conviction that it is an inevitable next step in evolution. Given the associated potency, it is hard to not take an extreme position with regard to it.
The positions in between seem to be of the form "everything will stay largely the same, but with a bit more automation", which seems naive rather than level-headed, imho.
I can't read the tone of this post, but "AI" as it stands as a marketing term for the last ~45 years has little to do with rigor. These are workers producing profit, not scientists. Ethics has nothing to do with it. Scientists deal with empiricism, not sales.
I have noticed something similar: those who are ultra-passionate about AI are often Extremely Online, and it seems like their values tilt too far away from humanity for my taste. The use of AI is treated almost as an end in and of itself, which perpetuates a maximalist AI vision. This is also probably why they give off this weird vibe of having their personality outsourced.