Source URL: https://www.theregister.com/2025/02/19/ai_activists_seek_ban_agi/
Source: The Register
Title: We meet the protesters who want to ban Artificial General Intelligence before it even exists
Feedly Summary: STOP AI warns of doomsday scenario, demands governments pull the plug on advanced models
Feature On Saturday at the Silverstone Cafe in San Francisco, a smattering of activists gathered to discuss plans to stop the further advancement of artificial intelligence.…
AI Summary and Description: Yes
Summary: The text discusses the civil resistance group STOP AI, which aims to ban the development of artificial general intelligence (AGI) due to concerns about its implications for humanity. It highlights the group’s protests against OpenAI and discusses the existential risks associated with AGI, voices of dissent regarding a former OpenAI employee’s death, and calls for greater regulation of AI technologies.
Detailed Description:
– **Overview of STOP AI**: The group is focused on stopping the development of AGI, citing concerns about safety, control, and existential risk. They challenge AI companies, particularly OpenAI, which they accuse of seeking to develop systems that could surpass human intelligence and potentially threaten human life.
– **Goals of the Group**:
– To compel governments to shut down all activities related to the creation of AGI.
– To hold protests, including a more immediate protest planned against OpenAI.
– **Concerns About AGI**:
– There’s significant fear about losing control over superintelligent systems, with members drawing parallels to sci-fi scenarios of machine rebellion.
– The implications of AGI are viewed as potentially catastrophic, with requests for a global treaty to manage AI development.
– **Activism and Public Engagement**:
– The group seeks to rally approximately 3.5% of the US population to create political change through peaceful protest, similar to successful movements against environmental issues.
– **Background of Members**:
– Members possess engineering and technical backgrounds, contributing to their understanding of the associated risks of AI technologies.
– **Legal and Regulatory Framework**:
– The group argues for the necessity of legal liabilities concerning AI, emphasizing that while essential, it is insufficient when it comes to existential threats.
– They argue for a need to regulate the computational power accessible to companies to prevent any AGI developments.
– **Crisis Driven by Development**:
– The tragic circumstances surrounding the death of a whistleblower from OpenAI emphasize the urgency of their demands and highlight the moral complexities of working within the AI industry.
This text is relevant to professionals in AI Security, Compliance, and Information Security due to its focus on the implications of AGI development and the associated calls for regulation and compliance within the AI field. Understanding the perspectives and actions of groups like STOP AI can provide insights into growing public concern and potential regulatory frameworks affecting AI development and deployment.