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Monthly Question: "Should we worry about human extinction caused by artificial intelligence, and if so, in what sense?" - Read: Salon
There are increasing worries that a so-called Artificial General Intelligence could exterminate humanity. These worries about human extinction have been voiced by big and influential technology companies that are involved in developing AI systems themselves. It is striking, that it is exactly these companies that release the notes and warnings since they are centrally involved in the development of these systems. Further, it is actually not quite clear what is meant by the concept of human extinction and whether this actually builds upon a view about the value of the species. Torres offers some enlightening distinctions about the concept of extinction as well as an analysis of what might be behind these published worries and why we should be careful when confronted with this warning.
On this page can be found a selection of links to thought-provoking, philosophically significant, and ethically engaging items. These items serve as intriguing introductions to the discussion of the ethical ramifications of emerging technologies, a discussion of the impact of which will shape the world that we and our descendants will live in. Given this import, it is never too late or early to find your voice and join the discussion!
Euronews (Given the fundamental importance of semiconductors for everyday life, should we strive for a global governance of semiconductor production, rather than leave it susceptible to geopolitical tensions?)
Washington Post (What is the moral status of avatars and chatbots?)
Ars Technica (How should states respond to the possibe threat to privacy raised by systems such as ChatGPT?)
MIT Technology Review (Is the energy cost of 'training' AI sustainable?)
"Which ethical questions are raised by the coronavirus pandemic?" - Read: The Conversation
The Conversation (how can we make sure that algorithms are fair?)
Philosophers on GPT-3 (philosophical implications of the GPT-3 language model)