[MURG] AI as R&D for MU (was: uploading IP)

[Eugen Leitl]

On Thu, Mar 11, 2004 at 07:52:48AM -0500, Randal A. Koene wrote:
> 
> Hm. I think Eugene may have a word or two to say regarding this topic! AI

I'm only skimming the discussion, as there isn't anything left to comment.

> as the R&D for mind uploading is another one of those topics that lead to
> hot debate. On the one hand, most people will agree that strong AI would
> be helpful if it could be used to solve some of the research problems in
> mind uploading. On the other hand, there are those of us who envision a

A little bit of AI is wonderful, but the tools stop being tools when they
become persons. 

> scenario where such A.I. may simply may humanity obsolete and thereby
> cancel any progress toward mind uploading. The big question is as always:
> Can super A.I. truly be designed to be purely friendly and helpful - or
> would it quickly realize that outpacing and obsoleting humanity is in its
> own interest?

I don't see any necessity for that, the humans only appear visible (hostile
at that) in the initial stages of AI self-enhancement loop (which can be
extremely rapid according to straightforward projections, since requiring
only takeover of existing hardware). Termination of the biosphere by
side effects of postbiology appears extremely likely in an evolutionary
scenario. This also could happen very quickly, given exponential
autoamplification plus use of technologies we yet have no idea of. The
early timeline is minutes, then days and weeks as things take longer at the
physical layer.

-- Eugen* Leitl <a href="http://leitl.org">leitl</a>
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