Future of Life Institute Podcast How AI Could Help Overthrow Governments (with Tom Davidson)
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Jul 17, 2025 Tom Davidson, a senior research fellow at Forethought, dives into the alarming prospect of AI-enabled coups. He discusses how advanced AI could empower covert actors to seize power and what capabilities these AIs would need for political maneuvers. The conversation highlights the unique risks of military automation and secret loyalties within organizations. Davidson outlines strategies to mitigate these emerging threats, stressing the need for transparency and regulatory frameworks to safeguard democracy against AI's influence.
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Core Capabilities Enabling AI Coups
- AI could enable coups by empowering few powerful individuals rather than AI rising against humanity itself.
- Critical capabilities include persuasion, strategy, productivity, cyber offense, and military automation.
Example of AI Military Coup
- An AI-enabled military coup could involve a head of state building a robot army loyal to them.
- Such an army could suppress opposition and replace human workers, undermining usual coup deterrents.
Phase Shift with Full AI Replacement
- AI that fully replaces humans in government or military leads to a phase shift in power dynamics.
- Leaders no longer need human support, enabling more durable and centralized control involving AI.