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Warning Shots
Vivid experiences teach us about danger. But what about abstract risks such as unregulated AI or DNA editing?
Just one event, such as touching a hot stove, sears into our mind a level of respect. Yet sometimes people warn us about new developments that are as dangerous as the proverbial hot stove and we ignore them. This is true even if they come from trusted persons or sources. Why?
On going public debate rages about Climate Change yet many don’t even acknowledge its existence? Is it just about disputing facts and sources? Even if there was just a small chance that the Climate Change was real and dangerous shouldn’t that trigger skeptics to dig deeper?
It’s not just Climate Change. Warnings about new technologies such as CRISPR (a DNA manipulation tool), advanced Artificial Intelligence (AI), or interconnected social media, or preparing for Pandemics are all met with indifference. New technologies also come with great promise of and are passionately evangelized by their creators. This line between hype and caution becomes quite blurred.
With the right DNA editing we can solve previously intractable medical diseases. With advanced AI we get personal assistants, universal language translation, and incredible advances in many sciences. Social Media has connected us with…
