It seems to me I’ve not heard much of cryonics in the last few years. I see from Wikipedia that as of last year Alcor only has about 2000 signed up, of which 222 are suspended. Are people still signing up for suspension, as much as they ever have been? Are the near-term prospects of AGI making long-term prospects like suspension less attractive?
>Are the near-term prospects of AGI making long-term prospects like suspension less attractive?
No. Everyone I know who was signed up for cryonics in 2014 is still signed up now. You’re hearing about it less because Yudkowsky is now doing other things with his time instead of promoting cryonics, and those discussions around here were a direct result of his efforts to constantly explain and remind people.
I don’t know about signup numbers in general (the last comprehensive analysis was in 2020, when there was a clear trend)—but it definitely looks like people are still signing up for Alcor membership (six from January to March 2023).
It seems to me I’ve not heard much of cryonics in the last few years. I see from Wikipedia that as of last year Alcor only has about 2000 signed up, of which 222 are suspended. Are people still signing up for suspension, as much as they ever have been? Are the near-term prospects of AGI making long-term prospects like suspension less attractive?
>Are the near-term prospects of AGI making long-term prospects like suspension less attractive?
No. Everyone I know who was signed up for cryonics in 2014 is still signed up now. You’re hearing about it less because Yudkowsky is now doing other things with his time instead of promoting cryonics, and those discussions around here were a direct result of his efforts to constantly explain and remind people.
I don’t know about signup numbers in general (the last comprehensive analysis was in 2020, when there was a clear trend)—but it definitely looks like people are still signing up for Alcor membership (six from January to March 2023).
However, in recent history, two cryonics organizations have been founded, Tomorrow.bio in Europe in 2019 (350 members signed up) and Southern Cryonics in Australia. People are being preserved, and Southern Cryonics recently suspended their first member.