Executive summary: Humanity may be approaching a “Choice Transition” where deliberate, farsighted actors could gain the ability to consciously steer the emergence of historical forces, potentially transforming how the future unfolds.
Key points:
Historical forces (physics, evolution, culture) have progressively become more complex and directive, but were previously “blind” to long-term consequences
Humans currently lack full capability to deliberately steer long-term global trajectories due to limited understanding, short-term priorities, and coordination challenges
Artificial intelligence could enable a Choice Transition by improving foresight, coordination capabilities, and potentially becoming a steering agent itself
A successful Choice Transition would involve actors who are farsighted, care about long-term consequences, and can effectively coordinate
The transition could involve various potential actors: democratic coalitions, AI systems, state actors, or ideological movements
The implications of such a transition are profound, potentially permanently altering how new historical forces emerge and are controlled
This comment was auto-generated by the EA Forum Team. Feel free to point out issues with this summary by replying to the comment, andcontact us if you have feedback.
Executive summary: Humanity may be approaching a “Choice Transition” where deliberate, farsighted actors could gain the ability to consciously steer the emergence of historical forces, potentially transforming how the future unfolds.
Key points:
Historical forces (physics, evolution, culture) have progressively become more complex and directive, but were previously “blind” to long-term consequences
Humans currently lack full capability to deliberately steer long-term global trajectories due to limited understanding, short-term priorities, and coordination challenges
Artificial intelligence could enable a Choice Transition by improving foresight, coordination capabilities, and potentially becoming a steering agent itself
A successful Choice Transition would involve actors who are farsighted, care about long-term consequences, and can effectively coordinate
The transition could involve various potential actors: democratic coalitions, AI systems, state actors, or ideological movements
The implications of such a transition are profound, potentially permanently altering how new historical forces emerge and are controlled
This comment was auto-generated by the EA Forum Team. Feel free to point out issues with this summary by replying to the comment, and contact us if you have feedback.