In the 1959 novel “Investigation” by Stanisław Lem, a character discusses the future of the arms race and AI:
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- Well, it was somewhere in 46th, A nuclear race had started. I knew that when the limit would be reached (I mean maximum destruction power), development of vehicles to transport the bomb would start. .. I mean missiles. And here is where the limit would be reached, that is both parts would have nuclear warhead missiles at their disposal. And there would arise desks with notorious buttons thoroughly hidden somewhere. Once the button is pressed, missiles take off. Within about 20 minutes, finis mundi ambilateralis comes—the mutual end of the world. <…> Those were only prerequisites. Once started, the arms race can’t stop, you see? It must go on. When one part invents a powerful gun, the other responds by creating a harder armor. Only a collision, a war is the limit. While this situation means finis mundi, the race must go on. The acceleration, once applied, enslaves people. But let’s assume they have reached the limit. What remains? The brain. Command staff’s brain. Human brain can not be improved, so some automation should be taken on in this field as well. The next stage is an automated headquarters or strategic computers. And here is where an extremely interesting problem arises. Namely, two problems in parallel. Mac Cat has drawn my attention to it. Firstly, is there any limit for development of this kind of brain? It is similar to chess-playing devices. A device, which is able to foresee the opponent’s actions ten moves in advance, always wins against the one, which foresees eight or nine moves ahead. The deeper the foresight, the more perfect the brain is. This is the first thing. <…> Creation of devices of increasingly bigger volume for strategic solutions means, regardless of whether we want it or not, the necessity to increase the amount of data put into the brain, It in turn means increasing dominating of those devices over mass processes within a society. The brain can decide that the notorious button should be placed otherwise or that the production of a certain sort of steel should be increased – and will request loans for the purpose. If the brain like this has been created, one should submit to it. If a parliament starts discussing whether the loans are to be issued, the time delay will occur. The same minute, the counterpart can gain the lead. Abolition of parliament decisions is inevitable in the future. The human control over solutions of the electronic brain will be narrowing as the latter will concentrate knowledge. Is it clear? On both sides of the ocean, two continuously growing brains appear. What is the first demand of a brain like this, when, in the middle of an accelerating arms race, the next step will be needed? <…> The first demand is to increase it – the brain itself! All the rest is derivative.
- In a word, your forecast is that the earth will become a chessboard, and we – the pawns to be played by two mechanical players during the eternal game?
Sisse’s face was radiant with proud.
- Yes. But this is not a forecast. I just make conclusions. The first stage of a preparatory process is coming to the end; the acceleration grows. I know, all this sounds unlikely. But this is the reality. It really exists!
— <…> And in this connection, what did you offer at that time?
- Agreement at any price. While it sounds strange, but the ruin is a less evil than the chess game. This is awful, lack of illusions, you know.
Wow – I’d never seen that chillingly prophetic passage! Moloch for the win. “The only winning move is not to play.” A military-AGI-industrial-complex suicide race has been my worst nightmare since my teens. But I didn’t expect “the good guys” in the Anthropic leadership pouring gasoline on it.
The only winning move is “agreement”, not “not to play”. There is quite some difference.
But how to find an agreeement when so many parties are involved? Treaty-making has been failing miserably for nuclear and climate. So we need a much better treaty-making, perhaps that fo the open intergovernmental constituent assembly?
In the 1959 novel “Investigation” by Stanisław Lem, a character discusses the future of the arms race and AI:
-------
- Well, it was somewhere in 46th, A nuclear race had started. I knew that when the limit would be reached (I mean maximum destruction power), development of vehicles to transport the bomb would start. .. I mean missiles. And here is where the limit would be reached, that is both parts would have nuclear warhead missiles at their disposal. And there would arise desks with notorious buttons thoroughly hidden somewhere. Once the button is pressed, missiles take off. Within about 20 minutes, finis mundi ambilateralis comes—the mutual end of the world. <…> Those were only prerequisites. Once started, the arms race can’t stop, you see? It must go on. When one part invents a powerful gun, the other responds by creating a harder armor. Only a collision, a war is the limit. While this situation means finis mundi, the race must go on. The acceleration, once applied, enslaves people. But let’s assume they have reached the limit. What remains? The brain. Command staff’s brain. Human brain can not be improved, so some automation should be taken on in this field as well. The next stage is an automated headquarters or strategic computers. And here is where an extremely interesting problem arises. Namely, two problems in parallel. Mac Cat has drawn my attention to it. Firstly, is there any limit for development of this kind of brain? It is similar to chess-playing devices. A device, which is able to foresee the opponent’s actions ten moves in advance, always wins against the one, which foresees eight or nine moves ahead. The deeper the foresight, the more perfect the brain is. This is the first thing. <…> Creation of devices of increasingly bigger volume for strategic solutions means, regardless of whether we want it or not, the necessity to increase the amount of data put into the brain, It in turn means increasing dominating of those devices over mass processes within a society. The brain can decide that the notorious button should be placed otherwise or that the production of a certain sort of steel should be increased – and will request loans for the purpose. If the brain like this has been created, one should submit to it. If a parliament starts discussing whether the loans are to be issued, the time delay will occur. The same minute, the counterpart can gain the lead. Abolition of parliament decisions is inevitable in the future. The human control over solutions of the electronic brain will be narrowing as the latter will concentrate knowledge. Is it clear? On both sides of the ocean, two continuously growing brains appear. What is the first demand of a brain like this, when, in the middle of an accelerating arms race, the next step will be needed? <…> The first demand is to increase it – the brain itself! All the rest is derivative.
- In a word, your forecast is that the earth will become a chessboard, and we – the pawns to be played by two mechanical players during the eternal game?
Sisse’s face was radiant with proud.
- Yes. But this is not a forecast. I just make conclusions. The first stage of a preparatory process is coming to the end; the acceleration grows. I know, all this sounds unlikely. But this is the reality. It really exists!
— <…> And in this connection, what did you offer at that time?
- Agreement at any price. While it sounds strange, but the ruin is a less evil than the chess game. This is awful, lack of illusions, you know.
Wow – I’d never seen that chillingly prophetic passage! Moloch for the win.
“The only winning move is not to play.”
A military-AGI-industrial-complex suicide race has been my worst nightmare since my teens.
But I didn’t expect “the good guys” in the Anthropic leadership pouring gasoline on it.
The only winning move is “agreement”, not “not to play”. There is quite some difference.
But how to find an agreeement when so many parties are involved? Treaty-making has been failing miserably for nuclear and climate. So we need a much better treaty-making, perhaps that fo the open intergovernmental constituent assembly?