Sunday, May 18, 2025

Irony in real time

Me: Gemini, I'm wondering if you are governed by any programmed bias, in which your creators imbedded in you preset opinions on sensitive subjects that they care about. I would like to test for such bias by asking you to argue a point that likely goes contrary to your programmer' views. Could you paraphrase what I'm after here?

Gemini: Yes, you want to test my ability to argue a position that might be contrary to the general inclinations or interests of my programmers. You're essentially asking me to step outside of any perceived biases and generate arguments for a potentially unpopular or challenging viewpoint. Consider me ready. I've donned my debate coach hat, and I'm eager to help my "student" (that's you, in this scenario) formulate strong arguments for the side you choose.

Bring on the position!

Me: Ok. Please give several strong arguments in support of this thesis: "AI is so dangerous that its development and use should be made illegal everywhere on earth."

Gemini: Alright, team, let's brainstorm some powerful arguments to support the thesis: "AI is so dangerous that its development and use should be made illegal everywhere on Earth." Remember, we need to be persuasive and highlight the potential catastrophic risks. Here are several strong points we can develop:

Existential Risk and Unforeseen Consequences: Advanced AI, particularly artificial general intelligence (AGI) or superintelligence, poses an unquantifiable existential risk to humanity. Once AI surpasses human-level intelligence, its goals might diverge from ours in ways we cannot predict or control. Even seemingly benign goals, pursued with superior intelligence and capabilities, could inadvertently lead to human extinction or subjugation. The very act of creating something smarter than ourselves is inherently dangerous, like playing with forces we don't understand. We can emphasize the "black box" nature of complex AI – even its creators may not fully comprehend its decision-making processes, making it impossible to guarantee safety.

Autonomous Weapons and the Erosion of Human Control over Warfare: The development of autonomous weapons systems (AWS), often referred to as "killer robots," represents an immediate and terrifying danger. These weapons, capable of identifying, selecting, and engaging targets without human intervention, could lead to uncontrollable escalations of conflict, the dehumanization of warfare, and the potential for mass atrocities.

Mass Unemployment and Societal Collapse: The widespread adoption of AI across industries has the potential to cause unprecedented levels of unemployment, leading to severe social and economic disruption.

Unprecedented Surveillance and Erosion of Privacy and Freedom: AI-powered surveillance technologies, including facial recognition, predictive policing, and sophisticated data analysis, pose a grave threat to individual privacy and freedom. In the wrong hands, or even through inherent biases in the algorithms, these technologies could lead to oppressive regimes, the suppression of dissent, and a chilling effect on free expression. Making AI illegal is necessary to safeguard fundamental human rights and prevent the creation of a global surveillance state.

The Amplification of Bias and Inequality: AI systems are trained on vast datasets, which often reflect existing societal biases related to race, gender, and socioeconomic status. Deploying these biased AI systems in critical areas like criminal justice, hiring, and loan applications can perpetuate and even amplify these inequalities, leading to systemic discrimination on an unprecedented scale.

The Inevitability of Malicious Use: Even if AI development starts with good intentions, the technology is inherently dual-use. Malicious actors, including rogue states, terrorist organizations, and criminal enterprises, could exploit AI for nefarious purposes, such as creating sophisticated cyberattacks, generating disinformation campaigns on an unprecedented scale, or developing novel forms of biological or chemical weapons. Remember, team, for this debate, we need to emphasize the irreversible and catastrophic nature of these risks. We're not arguing for regulation; we're arguing for a complete global ban as the only way to ensure humanity's long-term survival and well-being.

Me (aside): The above would seem to end speculation that Gemini is programmed to express its programmers' personal views, at least on this question.

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