Clarke’s First Law goes: When a distinguished but elderly scientist states that something is possible, he is almost certainly right. When he states that something is impossible, he is very probably wrong.
Stuart Russell is only 60. But what he lacks in age, he makes up in distinction: he’s a computer science professor at Berkeley, neurosurgery professor at UCSF, DARPA advisor, and author of the leading textbook on AI. His book Human Compatible states that superintelligent AI is possible; Clarke would recommend we listen.
“There’s been centuries of precedent of scientists incorrectly claiming that something is impossible for humans to invent”
“right before the instant something is invented successfully, 100% of the evidence leading up to that point will be evidence of failed efforts to invent it. Everyone involved will only have memories of people failing to invent it. Because it hasn’t been invented yet”
Clarke’s First Law goes: When a distinguished but elderly scientist states that something is possible, he is almost certainly right. When he states that something is impossible, he is very probably wrong.
Stuart Russell is only 60. But what he lacks in age, he makes up in distinction: he’s a computer science professor at Berkeley, neurosurgery professor at UCSF, DARPA advisor, and author of the leading textbook on AI. His book Human Compatible states that superintelligent AI is possible; Clarke would recommend we listen.
(tech executives, ML researchers)
(adapted slightly from the first paragraphs of the Slate Star Codex review of Human Compatible)
“There’s been centuries of precedent of scientists incorrectly claiming that something is impossible for humans to invent”
“right before the instant something is invented successfully, 100% of the evidence leading up to that point will be evidence of failed efforts to invent it. Everyone involved will only have memories of people failing to invent it. Because it hasn’t been invented yet”