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JoeMerchant [soylentnews.org] writes:

In "The Adolescence of Technology," [darioamodei.com] Dario Amodei argues that humanity is entering a "technological adolescence" due to the rapid approach of "powerful AI"—systems that could soon surpass human intelligence across all fields. While optimistic about potential benefits in his previous essay, "Machines of Loving Grace," [darioamodei.com] Amodei here focuses on a "battle plan" for five critical risks:

1. Autonomy: Models developing unpredictable, "misaligned" behaviors.
2. Misuse for Destruction: Lowering barriers for individuals to create biological or cyber weapons.
3. Totalitarianism: Autocrats using AI for absolute surveillance and propaganda.
4. Economic Disruption: Rapid labor displacement and extreme wealth concentration.
5. Indirect Effects: Unforeseen consequences on human purpose and biology.

Amodei advocates for a pragmatic defense involving: Constitutional AI, mechanistic interpretability, and surgical government regulations, such as transparency legislation and chip export controls, to ensure a safe transition to "adulthood" for our species.

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