A scorpion asks a frog to carry it across a river. The frog hesitates, afraid that the scorpion might sting it, but the scorpion promises not to, pointing out that it would drown if it killed the frog in the middle of the river. The frog agrees to transport the scorpion. Midway across the river, the scorpion stings the frog anyway, dooming them both. The dying frog asks the scorpion why it stung despite knowing the consequence, and the scorpion replies: “I am sorry, but I couldn’t resist the urge. It’s in my nature.”
-Fable
We are the frog, and the nature of our future AI scorpions must be figured out or we all may die, or worse.
Policymakers
A scorpion asks a frog to carry it across a river. The frog hesitates, afraid that the scorpion might sting it, but the scorpion promises not to, pointing out that it would drown if it killed the frog in the middle of the river. The frog agrees to transport the scorpion. Midway across the river, the scorpion stings the frog anyway, dooming them both. The dying frog asks the scorpion why it stung despite knowing the consequence, and the scorpion replies: “I am sorry, but I couldn’t resist the urge. It’s in my nature.”
-Fable
We are the frog, and the nature of our future AI scorpions must be figured out or we all may die, or worse.