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LessWrong (Curated & Popular)
“Gradual Disempowerment, Shell Games and Flinches” by Jan_Kulveit
Feb 5, 2025
In this engaging discussion, Jan Kulveit, author and insightful thinker on AI risks, delves into the concept of Gradual Disempowerment. He examines how as human cognition loses its value, societal systems may become misaligned with human interests. Kulveit highlights intriguing patterns of avoidance in conversations about AI, encapsulated by ideas like 'shell games' and 'flinches.' He also warns against the dangers of delegating too much to future AI, encouraging a more proactive engagement with the complex challenges ahead.
10:49
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Quick takeaways
- Human alignment with socioeconomic systems may weaken as automation reduces the utility of human cognition, risking gradual disempowerment.
- Many individuals exhibit cognitive flinches, often reverting to familiar narratives instead of addressing the nuanced implications of technological risks.
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The Threat of Gradual Disempowerment
Human civilization remains aligned with human interests largely because humans provide essential value to economic and social systems. As automation and advanced technologies reduce the relevance of human cognition, there is a risk that these systems will become less responsive to human needs, leading to gradual disempowerment. This dynamic could manifest across various sectors, raising concerns that states and cultural institutions may drift away from prioritizing human welfare as their reliance on human input diminishes. Consequently, the potential for systemic failure increases if all these interconnected systems become misaligned simultaneously, undermining human power and influence.
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