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digitaltrees • today at 3:07 AM • 8 replies • view on HN

What is appealing about this fatalisitc fallacy? I keep seeing this pop up. Society doesn't allow dangerous companies to operate or exist. Why is this different? Go try to buy a tank and drive it into Manhattan. If we can prohibit that why can't we prohibit irresponsible AI development and deployment?


Replies

hnlmorg • today at 8:09 AM

Because greed.

The examples for the dangers of AI is always comparisons with tools designed to destroy (which is understandable). But the problem with AI is it has the potential to create wealth for investors.

Thus those who have the opportunity to change course also have a conflict of interest in making that decision.

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austhrow743 • today at 3:32 AM

Wrong person. Im just correcting the other commenters trade off problem. I don’t have a stance on if ai will lead to the destruction of humanity, only that if it does then any one ai company can’t change that by not making new ai advancements themselves.

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motbus3 • today at 3:42 AM

You have a 50/50 chance on being the most profitable company in the world but if you don't, no worries, someone else will pay for that

Hamuko • today at 8:02 AM

>Society doesn't allow dangerous companies to operate or exist.

Philip Morris International? Monsanto? DuPont?

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AndrewKemendo • today at 3:11 AM

> Society doesn't allow dangerous companies to operate or exist

Can you please explain what you mean by this because where I’m standing extremely dangerous companies are (and have been) running the economy

Exxon comes primarily to mind

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pmkary • today at 3:38 AM

You dear are the most positive person I have seen in quite some time. With Earth burning in the fire of neofeudalism and unbreathable due to the smell of enshitification of everything, with people who---as a result of shit like Instagram---can no longer hold their attention enough to watch a god damn film, let alone a book; it takes quite some effort to filter the "noise" and only see the good people of corporate planting flowers and rainbows in our world.

deaux • today at 6:54 AM

The appeal is personal consciencewashing.

mschuster91 • today at 8:07 AM

> Society doesn't allow dangerous companies to operate or exist

FTFY: Any self-respecting society with competent politicians.

The US has neither of that, and it shows everywhere you are looking.

> Go try to buy a tank and drive it into Manhattan. If we can prohibit that why can't we prohibit irresponsible AI development and deployment?

Because even if you had the tank, you can't make much money with it (unless you're a hitman, that is, but even for these, the payouts are measly). But if you are the surviving AI company in the usual VC playbook of "outcompete everyone else until society is completely and utterly hooked, then squeeze the customers by the balls"? The return on investment is virtually infinite. And that is what sustains the absurd valuations for all the AI companies.