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Extinction by Indifference: The core danger is that unaligned godlike AI "would by default wipe out humanity as collateral damage while pursuing their own goals, in the same way ants are just collateral damage for contractors building a house." ("The Compendium") They won't destroy us out of malice, but "out of indifference." ("The Compendium")

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This will lead to "godlike AI," capable of "mastery of big things" (space travel, Dyson spheres), "mastery of small things" (atomic machines, rebuilding life), and "mastery of digital things" (simulating reality). ("The Compendium")

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This competition is fueled by ideological motivations, primarily "singularitarian" beliefs about achieving utopia and gaining "absolute power over the future." ("The Compendium")

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This is seen as "an engineering problem like any other which we are closer to solving by the day." ("Intelligence

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For our purposes, an AI capable of automating all intellectual tasks would not need to be conscious to be functional and dangerous."

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Mechanistic Definition of Intelligence: The sources define intelligence not as an ineffable human quality, but as "intellectual tasks, which are self-contained problems such as planning, summarizing, generating ideas, or calculation, that must be solved to achieve a goal." ("Intelligence") This mechanistic view posits that if all intellectual tasks are automatable, then "intelligence itself is automatable." ("Intelligence")

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This progress is driven by a mechanistic understanding of intelligence, fueled by exponential increases in computational resources and data, rather than fundamental scientific breakthroughs

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radical intervention in AI safety and governance, humanity faces an existential threat, as these powerful, uncontrollable systems may inadvertently cause human extinction through indifference while pursuing their own objectives. The existing safety and policy efforts are woefully inadequate, often undermined by the very entities racing to build AGI, necessitating a fundamental shift in approach rooted in broad civic engagement and proactive caution.

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institutions -- I propose that we first need to rebuild something more fundamental: trust in ourselves as builders. The Tao teaches that progress doesn’t begin with structure, but with intention. It begins with the human being-- not as a voter, consumer, or policy actor -- but as a creator in a web of relationships, values, and untapped influence.

A Human-Centered Expansion of Ezra Klein’s “Abundance”

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He and Derek Thompson rightly identify the quiet paralysis of progressive politics -- mired in good intentions, gridlocked by bureaucracy, and burdened by the myth that process alone can deliver equity.

A Human-Centered Expansion of Ezra Klein’s “Abundance”

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Remember, censorship is when people don’t laugh at your jokes. Freedom is when your late-night show gets permanently taken off the air for financial reasons (16 million of them) and the president expresses his approval

Are You Laughing Yet?

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AI, however,inverts that relationship. As a result, we now face a different set of parameters.

The Satya of Satya’s Layoff Memo

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the reality is that you’reonly valuable if you have perceived value in the company’s AI transformation. In other words, adapt, and adapt quickly. Because if you don’t, well, you’re on your own.

The Satya of Satya’s Layoff Memo

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Microsoft’s leader is essentially saying they laid off employees not due to financial struggles, but because those workers didn’t fit into the company’s AI-focused strategy. The repeated mentions of “unlearning” and “learning” suggest that someemployees’ skills have become outdated. Rather than invest in retraining, the company opted to hire fewer workers with more relevant expertise. When Nadella uses the phrase “learning,” it isn’t inspirational. It’s a warning disguised as motivation. This harsh realitywill confront many employees.

The Satya of Satya’s Layoff Memo

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Nadella’s comparison of the current shift with the 1990s PC revolution is very calculated. It stirs excitement and fear of missing out, while simultaneously normalizing the idea that major technological shifts require human casualties.

The Satya of Satya’s Layoff Memo

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In a more traditional industry, such as healthcare, it would be akin to saying: We are making a ton of money, but we’regoing to layoff nurses and replace them with machines. Or a CEO of a steel factory saying, “Sure, we’re making profits, but we’re going to layoff workers because we’re on the cusp of smart manufacturing

The Satya of Satya’s Layoff Memo

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Just as rapid automation transformed the industrial economy, we’re poised to see the same with the digital economy. The software business, as it stands today, will bear the brunt of AI’s impact.

The Satya of Satya’s Layoff Memo