Clearer Thinking with Spencer Greenberg

Will AI destroy civilization in the near future? (with Connor Leahy)

Jun 21, 2023

Connor Leahy, CEO of Conjecture and former leader of EleutherAI, dives into the pressing existential risks of AI and why they may be more immediate than many think. He discusses misconceptions about AI controllability and the challenges of understanding neural networks. The conversation touches on technologies like AutoGPT and the importance of empathy in addressing these risks. Connor also highlights actionable steps people can take to ensure responsible AI development, advocating for societal engagement and robust safety measures.

01:25:26

Creator website

Episode guests

Connor Leahy

Highlights

AI Chapters

Episode notes

The Importance of Building Common Knowledge in Addressing Societal Issues

01:24

The Importance of Understanding Neural Networks

01:26

Hypothetical Scenarios of the End of the World

01:12

Intro

3min

The Complex Risks of Advanced AI

25min

Empathy in the Face of Existential Risks

2min

The Urgency of AI Threats

22min

Externalizing Cognition: Understanding Human Thought Beyond the Brain

3min

Navigating AI Alignment Challenges

24min

Navigating the Existential Risks of AI and Societal Engagement

6min

Read the full transcript here.

Does AI pose a near-term existential risk? Why might existential risks from AI manifest sooner rather than later? Can't we just turn off any AI that gets out of control? Exactly how much do we understand about what's going on inside neural networks? What is AutoGPT? How feasible is it to build an AI system that's exactly as intelligent as a human but no smarter? What is the "CoEm" AI safety proposal? What steps can the average person take to help mitigate risks from AI?

Connor Leahy is CEO and co-founder of Conjecture, an AI alignment company focused on making AI systems boundable and corrigible. Connor founded and led EleutherAI, the largest online community dedicated to LLMs, which acted as a gateway for people interested in ML to upskill and learn about alignment. With capabilities increasing at breakneck speed, and our ability to control AI systems lagging far behind, Connor moved on from the volunteer, open-source Eleuther model to a full-time, closed-source model working to solve alignment via Conjecture.

Staff

Spencer Greenberg — Host / Director
Josh Castle — Producer
Ryan Kessler — Audio Engineer
Uri Bram — Factotum
WeAmplify — Transcriptionists
Miles Kestran — Marketing

Music

Affiliates

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