Move fast, trust only those who act

Imagine a neighbor stops you in the street and tells you they believe your house might be on fire!

If upon hearing that news, you don’t immediately run home to check and try to save your family and belongings, then your neighbor must conclude you didn’t understand their warning or are simply batshit crazy.

Similarly, when we talk about the risks of AI with those who express their apparent awareness of the subject but show no signs of acting upon that knowledge, we must assume they have not really understood the threats, are in denial, scared, or simply insane.

We are now in a race against time. As responsible, caring neighbors armed with the knowledge of a potential danger, it is our responsibility to warn each and everyone to run and prepare. But if upon repeating our warnings several times we do not see them react accordingly and incorporate changes, then we must know to leave them and continue running to warn the rest.

As a jet pilot explained to me once: In a case of emergency, any action will be better than inaction. Even a wrong action can often be counteracted, but inaction instead only breeds doubts, fears, and an increased risk.