I am curious in what ways, if any, you suspect this paradigm shift will be different? Here are some ways it seems different to me, difference that could be your studies of earlier shifts may not quite apply:
Speed: Change at Breakneck Pace. The new revolution is unfolding so fast it could overwhelm us. A century ago, electronic screens didn't exist; today, they often dominate our waking hours. Newer technologies like direct brain-computer interfaces promise even more immersive experiences that could consume our attention entirely.
Scope: Rewriting the Code of Life Itself. The breadth of this new revolution is also unprecedented. Earlier consciousness revolutions reshaped languages and cultures. Today, we have tools to rewrite the fundamental code of life and matter itself, from redesigning the human genome and altering our core biological systems to potentially restructuring subatomic particles.
Deliberate Design: The Dawn of Conscious Choice. We've entered an era of human-assisted evolution, making a seismic shift away from millennia of blind natural selection. Traditional evolution moves slowly and blindly through random mutations and trial and error. Now we've added hypothesis testing, computer simulations, and scientific experimentation to the process.
Inequality: Creating Separate Species. The combined dynamics of this revolution (its speed, scope, and our power of intentional evolution) threaten to create levels of inequality far surpassing anything previously known. According to Oxfam, the world's richest 1% already own nearly half of global wealth, and this disparity is accelerating.
Autonomous Agents: We're Not Alone. These first four characteristics are each cause for deep concern, but the fifth may prove the most consequential: We're entering this transition in the company of non-human, intelligent agents. These artificial processes are evolving into entities capable of autonomous learning and action. They could empower humanity, or reshape our minds without consent, in ways beyond our comprehension.
Hi Houston. Great questions! Here's the thing: AI is a misnomer. Right now, it's just super fast computing with vast amounts of data and software that shapes its response to seem 'human.' Their autonomy at this point is less of a concern in my opinion than the speed and regulation (combined). Speed of development makes it very difficult to regulate, and regulations are typically awful at catching up to technology. We're only now seeing the first regulations age-gating social media, for example. Culture writ large will struggle with the speed. That is the domino that topples the others in my view.
Yes, the speed at which social media "ate" our brains was too quick for deliberation or regulation. That is why I think I should support PauseAI. Do you know their work?
I am curious in what ways, if any, you suspect this paradigm shift will be different? Here are some ways it seems different to me, difference that could be your studies of earlier shifts may not quite apply:
Speed: Change at Breakneck Pace. The new revolution is unfolding so fast it could overwhelm us. A century ago, electronic screens didn't exist; today, they often dominate our waking hours. Newer technologies like direct brain-computer interfaces promise even more immersive experiences that could consume our attention entirely.
Scope: Rewriting the Code of Life Itself. The breadth of this new revolution is also unprecedented. Earlier consciousness revolutions reshaped languages and cultures. Today, we have tools to rewrite the fundamental code of life and matter itself, from redesigning the human genome and altering our core biological systems to potentially restructuring subatomic particles.
Deliberate Design: The Dawn of Conscious Choice. We've entered an era of human-assisted evolution, making a seismic shift away from millennia of blind natural selection. Traditional evolution moves slowly and blindly through random mutations and trial and error. Now we've added hypothesis testing, computer simulations, and scientific experimentation to the process.
Inequality: Creating Separate Species. The combined dynamics of this revolution (its speed, scope, and our power of intentional evolution) threaten to create levels of inequality far surpassing anything previously known. According to Oxfam, the world's richest 1% already own nearly half of global wealth, and this disparity is accelerating.
Autonomous Agents: We're Not Alone. These first four characteristics are each cause for deep concern, but the fifth may prove the most consequential: We're entering this transition in the company of non-human, intelligent agents. These artificial processes are evolving into entities capable of autonomous learning and action. They could empower humanity, or reshape our minds without consent, in ways beyond our comprehension.
Hi Houston. Great questions! Here's the thing: AI is a misnomer. Right now, it's just super fast computing with vast amounts of data and software that shapes its response to seem 'human.' Their autonomy at this point is less of a concern in my opinion than the speed and regulation (combined). Speed of development makes it very difficult to regulate, and regulations are typically awful at catching up to technology. We're only now seeing the first regulations age-gating social media, for example. Culture writ large will struggle with the speed. That is the domino that topples the others in my view.
Yes, the speed at which social media "ate" our brains was too quick for deliberation or regulation. That is why I think I should support PauseAI. Do you know their work?
https://pauseai.info/
If so, does their approach seem right to you?
That's an interesting project. I hadn't heard of them but thanks for sharing so others can take a look, too!