AI versus Marshy - Is the Existential Threat of AI Legitimate or a Money-Raising Exercise?

I’ve been writing about the state of tech and AI in this newsletter, and one thing that keeps coming up is the question of whether the existential threat of AI is legitimate or just a money-raising exercise. Some people claim it’s a serious issue, while others think it’s just a way to get more funding. I’m not here to take sides, but I do want to explore this topic further. Trust us - we’re saving you from an existential threat - give us 7 trillion dollars. Has a much better ring to it and is more defensible than: Trust us - give us 7 trillion dollars. Is it a grift? There’s certainly a lot of money going in this direction . I’m not immersed or understand this well enough to say confidently - but the case for “grift” becomes a bit more likely when we look at the track record of tech bros behaving badly. Dude, where’s my values? There’s a scene in It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia that’s equally disturbing and bemusing. Dennis is buying discussing buying items for their boat adventure and then he talks about buying a mattress… ​ Mac : What do we need a mattress for? ​ Dennis Reynolds : What do you mean what do we need a mattress for? Why in the hell do you think we just spent all that money Originally appeared in newsletter : AI versus Marshy #48: the growth of Athyna, AI safety question mark, and tech bros behaving badly