Making Sense with Sam Harris #435 — The Last Invention
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Oct 2, 2025 In this insightful discussion, Andy Mills, an experienced audio reporter and co-founder of Longview, delves into the complexities and risks of AI. He shares a chilling conspiracy tip about Silicon Valley's ambitions to substitute human governance with AI. The duo explores the accelerating beliefs around AGI and its potential to revolutionize or threaten society. They also address the urgent necessity for regulation and coordination as humanity navigates this technological tightrope, contemplating whether we should halt AGI development or brace for its implications.
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Tip About A Silicon Valley Plot
- Andy Mills recounts a tip from a former Silicon Valley exec who claimed a faction planned to replace government with AI.
- The tip led Mills to investigate and discover a broader belief in replacing many human institutions with AI.
AGI As A Civilizational Hinge
- Accelerationists see AGI as a civilizational hinge that could end jobs, schools, and possibly nation-states.
- They frame AGI as a route to abundance, solving energy and medical problems and radically extending human capability.
AGI Timelines Have Compressed
- Industry insiders now treat AGI as an achievable near-term target, not a distant dream.
- Many close to the technology expect AI to surpass humans at most cognitive tasks within a few years.
