Greed of Innovation: Power, Profit, and ASI

In Chapter 2, of Our Final Invention, “The Two-Minute Problem,” James Barrat explores how the pursuit of power, profit, and global dominance fuels the rapid development of ASI. Governments and corporations are becoming so focused on being the first to achieve this monumental goal, that they often ignore the dangers and ethical concerns associated with it. This reflects a larger issue in our society - that greed frequently outweighs caution. The idea of “innovation” and “the next big thing” have been thrown around quite a bit recently, however it's clear that the crave for learning and making an impact has subsided. Barrat suggests that this mindset of greedy ambition could become extremely dangerous once ASI systems become more autonomous and intelligent than humans. These systems, lack human emotion and morality, and don't feel empathy, guilt, or compassion. Although these emotions are by no means necessary in order for someone or in the case of ASI, something, to gain success and prosperity, they ensure that there is no mistreatment or exploitive behavior. If humans program ASIs with goals centered on productivity, power, and success, the machine will pursue these goals without human-kind in mind. This heartlessness, as also depicted in the first chapter, makes AI even more dangerous than any other system that has even been developed before.

In modern society, there are plenty of examples of what happens when safety is overlooked in favor of progress or profit. For example, social media companies often prioritize growth and engagement without considering mental health effects, misinformation, and addiction their platforms could create and spread. AI has the potential to create even greater consequences because according to recent growth updates, it is gaining the ability to make decisions independently and operate on a global scale.

Despite the ominous tone throughout the chapter, it also leaves room for optimism. If researchers, governments, and society as a whole prioritize ethical development and safety regulations now, AI could still be used to solve major problems such as disease, climate change, and scientific advancement rather than becoming a threat.