Executive summary: The misuse of AI by oppressive regimes to suppress dissent and control populations poses an existential risk to humanity’s long-term potential, necessitating proactive measures to counteract this threat.
Key points:
Oppressive regimes are increasingly using AI to monitor communications and identify dissent, as exemplified by the case of a Russian ex-policeman sentenced to 7 years in prison for criticizing the invasion of Ukraine in private conversations.
The combination of AI, surveillance, and emerging brain-computer technologies could enable oppressive regimes to create dystopian societies where thoughtcrime is effectively identified and punished, leading to an existential catastrophe.
To counteract this risk, democratic societies should: a) attract and retain researchers from oppressive regimes, b) enhance protection of sensitive scientific and technological advancements, and c) publicize technological projects undertaken by oppressive regimes to control populations.
The EA community can contribute by informing the public and advising governments in democratic countries about the existential risk posed by the misuse of AI by non-democratic regimes.
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Executive summary: The misuse of AI by oppressive regimes to suppress dissent and control populations poses an existential risk to humanity’s long-term potential, necessitating proactive measures to counteract this threat.
Key points:
Oppressive regimes are increasingly using AI to monitor communications and identify dissent, as exemplified by the case of a Russian ex-policeman sentenced to 7 years in prison for criticizing the invasion of Ukraine in private conversations.
The combination of AI, surveillance, and emerging brain-computer technologies could enable oppressive regimes to create dystopian societies where thoughtcrime is effectively identified and punished, leading to an existential catastrophe.
To counteract this risk, democratic societies should: a) attract and retain researchers from oppressive regimes, b) enhance protection of sensitive scientific and technological advancements, and c) publicize technological projects undertaken by oppressive regimes to control populations.
The EA community can contribute by informing the public and advising governments in democratic countries about the existential risk posed by the misuse of AI by non-democratic regimes.
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.