The Importance of Open Letters in Research

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"There's a lot of questions going on here," says AI expert. "I have mixed feelings about open letters... I've signed a few in my day, but I don't seek them out." The people who write an open letter are likely to be the most dedicated and enthusiastic, he adds. But there will always be compromises over how they word it, so you're asking for too much if you want something done quickly,. He argues that real-world careful thought is more productive than calls for research to stop.

Welcome to the July 2023 Ask Me Anything episode of Mindscape! These monthly excursions are funded by Patreon supporters (who are also the ones asking the questions). We take questions asked by Patreons, whittle them down to a more manageable number -- based primarily on whether I have anything interesting to say about them, not whether the questions themselves are good -- and sometimes group them together if they are about a similar topic.

We're experimenting with a new benefit for Patreon supporters: short video (or audio-only) reflections by me on the podcast that just happened. If you've been wondering whether to join up, this could be the time.

Blog post with questions and transcript: https://www.preposterousuniverse.com/podcast/2023/07/03/ama-july-2023/

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