Ted Chiang

Dennis Fischer <[email protected]> Thu, 21 Dec 2017 13:40:52 +0000
Newsgroups gmane.culture.sf.literature
Message-ID <[email protected]>
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This visionary sci-fi author sees the destruction of human civilization: pr=
edatory capitalism

Ted Chiang examines how Silicon Valley has become its own worst nightmare

JACOB SUGARMAN,=C2=A0ALTERNET12.20.2017=E2=80=A24:23 PMThe political theori=
st Frederic Jameson once observed that "it has become easier to imagine the=
 end of the world than the end of capitalism." But what if predatory capita=
lism finally destroys life on earth? That's the question posed by science f=
iction writer Ted Chiang, who argues that in "superintelligent AI," Silicon=
 Valley capitalists have "unconsciously created a devil in their own image,=
 a boogeyman whose excesses are precisely their own."In a new=C2=A0essay fo=
r Buzzfeed, part of a series about the forces shaping our lives in 2017, th=
e acclaimed author of "Arrival" (Stories of Your Life and Others) deconstru=
cts our fear of artificial intelligence; specifically, that of tech titans =
like Tesla founder Elon Musk. For Musk, the real threat is not a malevolent=
 computer program rising up against its creator like Skynet in the=C2=A0Ter=
minator=C2=A0films as much as AI destroying humanity by accident. In a=C2=
=A0recent interview with Vanity Fair, Musk imagines a mechanized strawberry=
 picker wiping out the species simply as a means of maximizing its producti=
on.
"This scenario sounds absurd to most people, yet there are a surprising num=
ber of technologists who think it illustrates a real danger. Why?" Chiang w=
onders. "Perhaps it=E2=80=99s because they=E2=80=99re already accustomed to=
 entities that operate this way: Silicon Valley tech companies."In Musk's h=
ypothetical, the destruction of human civilization follows the logic of the=
 free market."Consider: Who pursues their goals with monomaniacal focus, ob=
livious to the possibility of negative consequences? Who adopts a scorched-=
earth approach to increasing market share?" Chiang continues. "[The] strawb=
erry-picking AI does what every tech startup wishes it could do =E2=80=94 g=
rows at an exponential rate and destroys its competitors until it=E2=80=99s=
 achieved an absolute monopoly."=C2=A0Ultimately, the catastrophe Musk and =
others foretell has already arrived in the form of "no-holds-barred capital=
ism.""We are already surrounded by machines that demonstrate a complete lac=
k of insight, we just call them corporations," Chiang continues. "Corporati=
ons don=E2=80=99t operate autonomously, of course, and the humans in charge=
 of them are presumably capable of insight, but capitalism doesn=E2=80=99t =
reward them for using it. On the contrary, capitalism actively erodes this =
capacity in people by demanding that they replace their own judgment of wha=
t 'good' means with 'whatever the market decides.'"For Chiang, the operativ=
e word is insight. Our capacity for self-reflection, or the "recognition of=
 one's own condition," is what separates humans from the Googles, Facebooks=
 and Amazons. And it is this deficiency that makes these monopolies so uniq=
uely dangerous."We need for the machines to wake up, not in the sense of co=
mputers becoming self-aware, but in the sense of corporations recognizing t=
he consequences of their behavior," he concludes. "Just as a superintellige=
nt AI ought to realize that covering the planet in strawberry fields isn=E2=
=80=99t actually in its or anyone else=E2=80=99s best interests, companies =
in Silicon Valley need to realize that increasing market share isn=E2=80=99=
t a good reason to ignore all other considerations."
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<html><head></head><body><div style=3D"color:#000; background-color:#fff; f=
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h1><span data-comment=3D"post title end" style=3D"box-sizing: border-box; b=
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id=3D"yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1513816391786_52787">Ted Chiang examines how Silico=
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n-of-human-civilization-predatory-capitalism_partner/" data-title=3D"This v=
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yle=3D"box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size=
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px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" id=3D"yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_151381=
6391786_52837"><a target=3D"_blank" rel=3D"noopener" href=3D"https://www.sa=
lon.com/writer/jacob_sugarman" style=3D"box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px=
; font-family: inherit; font-size: 9.6px; font-style: inherit; font-weight:=
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ine; color: rgb(238, 44, 29); cursor: pointer; text-decoration-line: none !=
important;" id=3D"yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1513816391786_52838">JACOB SUGARMAN</a>=
</span><span style=3D"box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; font-family: inh=
erit; font-size: 9.6px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: =
0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" id=3D"yui_3_16_=
0_ym19_1_1513816391786_52839">,&nbsp;<a href=3D"http://www.alternet.org/" t=
arget=3D"_blank" rel=3D"noopener" style=3D"box-sizing: border-box; border: =
0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 9.6px; font-style: inherit; font-weig=
ht: inherit; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; vertical-align: ba=
seline; color: rgb(238, 44, 29); cursor: pointer; text-decoration-line: non=
e !important;" id=3D"yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1513816391786_52840">ALTERNET</a></s=
pan></span><span style=3D"box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; font-size: 0=
.7em; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px;=
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9, 171); text-transform: uppercase;" id=3D"yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1513816391786_=
52841"><span data-dateiso=3D"2017-12-21T00:23:25Z" style=3D"box-sizing: bor=
der-box; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 11.2px; font-style: =
inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; ver=
tical-align: baseline;" id=3D"yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1513816391786_52842">12.20.=
2017</span><span style=3D"box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; font-family:=
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gin: 0px 5px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; display=
: inline-block; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" id=3D"yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1513816391786=
_52843">=E2=80=A2</span><span data-dateiso=3D"2017-12-21T00:23:25Z" style=
=3D"box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 1=
1.2px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px=
; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" id=3D"yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_15138163=
91786_52844">4:23 PM</span></span></div></div></div><span data-comment=3D"e=
ditorsNote end" style=3D"box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; font-family: =
inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0=
px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" id=3D"yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_151381=
6391786_52853"></span></div><div style=3D"box-sizing: border-box; border: 0=
px; font-family: Roboto, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: auto; outline=
: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; max-width: 1563px; position:=
 relative;" id=3D"yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1513816391786_52854"><div style=3D"box-=
sizing: border-box; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit;=
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ign: baseline;" id=3D"yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1513816391786_52855"><div style=3D"=
box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inhe=
rit; font-weight: inherit; margin: auto 300px auto auto; outline: 0px; padd=
ing: 20px 92px 0px 175px; vertical-align: baseline; position: relative; wid=
th: auto; max-width: 1186px;" id=3D"yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1513816391786_52856">=
<div style=3D"box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; fo=
nt-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding=
: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" id=3D"yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1513816391786_528=
57"><div style=3D"box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; font-family: inherit=
; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; pad=
ding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" id=3D"yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1513816391786=
_52858"><div style=3D"box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 1em; border: 0px; =
font-style: inherit; outline: 0px; padding-bottom: 18px; vertical-align: ba=
seline; line-height: 1.5; word-break: break-word;" id=3D"yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_=
1513816391786_52859"><a href=3D"http://www.alternet.org/" style=3D"box-sizi=
ng: border-box; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; fon=
t-weight: inherit; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; vertical-ali=
gn: baseline; color: rgb(238, 44, 29); text-decoration-line: none !importan=
t;" id=3D"yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1513816391786_52860"><img src=3D"http://media.s=
alon.com/2015/01/unnamed.png" alt=3D"AlterNet" style=3D"box-sizing: border-=
box; max-width: 100%; min-height: auto; margin: 0px 10px 0px 0px;" id=3D"yu=
i_3_16_0_ym19_1_1513816391786_52861" data-id=3D"5df7e3a6-0a4d-c3a4-acd4-893=
f99aa3d5f"></a></div></div><div style=3D"box-sizing: border-box; border: 0p=
x; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin:=
 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" id=3D"yui_3_16=
_0_ym19_1_1513816391786_52862"><div dir=3D"ltr" style=3D"box-sizing: border=
-box; font-size: 1em; border: 0px; font-style: inherit; outline: 0px; paddi=
ng-bottom: 18px; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 1.5; word-break: br=
eak-word;" id=3D"yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1513816391786_52863">The political theor=
ist Frederic Jameson once observed that "it has become easier to imagine th=
e end of the world than the end of capitalism." But what if predatory capit=
alism finally destroys life on earth? That's the question posed by science =
fiction writer Ted Chiang, who argues that in "superintelligent AI," Silico=
n Valley capitalists have "unconsciously created a devil in their own image=
, a boogeyman whose excesses are precisely their own."</div></div><div styl=
e=3D"box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style:=
 inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; ve=
rtical-align: baseline;" id=3D"yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1513816391786_52864"><div =
style=3D"box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 1em; border: 0px; font-style: i=
nherit; outline: 0px; padding-bottom: 18px; vertical-align: baseline; line-=
height: 1.5; word-break: break-word;" id=3D"yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1513816391786=
_52865">In a new&nbsp;<a href=3D"https://www.buzzfeed.com/tedchiang/the-rea=
l-danger-to-civilization-isnt-ai-its-runaway?utm_term=3D.go4JqmvQa#.wg3Lwgy=
l9" target=3D"_blank" style=3D"box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; font-fa=
mily: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; outline-style: in=
itial; outline-width: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; color: rgb(238, 44, 29=
); text-decoration-line: none !important;" id=3D"yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_15138163=
91786_52866">essay for Buzzfeed</a>, part of a series about the forces shap=
ing our lives in 2017, the acclaimed author of "<a href=3D"https://www.imdb=
.com/title/tt2543164/?ref_=3Dfn_al_tt_1" target=3D"_blank" style=3D"box-siz=
ing: border-box; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; fo=
nt-weight: inherit; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; vertical-al=
ign: baseline; color: rgb(238, 44, 29); text-decoration-line: none !importa=
nt;" id=3D"yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1513816391786_52867">Arrival</a>" (<a href=3D"=
https://www.amazon.com/Stories-Your-Life-Others-Chiang-ebook/dp/B0048EKOP0/=
ref=3Dsr_1_1?s=3Dbooks&amp;ie=3DUTF8&amp;qid=3D1513661149&amp;sr=3D1-1&amp;=
keywords=3Dstories+of+your+life+and+others" target=3D"_blank" style=3D"box-=
sizing: border-box; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit;=
 font-weight: inherit; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; vertical=
-align: baseline; color: rgb(238, 44, 29); text-decoration-line: none !impo=
rtant;" id=3D"yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1513816391786_52868">Stories of Your Life a=
nd Others</a>) deconstructs our fear of artificial intelligence; specifical=
ly, that of tech titans like Tesla founder Elon Musk. For Musk, the real th=
reat is not a malevolent computer program rising up against its creator lik=
e Skynet in the&nbsp;Terminator&nbsp;films as much as AI destroying humanit=
y by accident. In a&nbsp;<a href=3D"https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2017/03=
/elon-musk-billion-dollar-crusade-to-stop-ai-space-x" target=3D"_blank" sty=
le=3D"box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style=
: inherit; font-weight: inherit; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px=
; vertical-align: baseline; color: rgb(238, 44, 29); text-decoration-line: =
none !important;" id=3D"yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1513816391786_52869">recent inter=
view with Vanity Fair</a>, Musk imagines a mechanized strawberry picker wip=
ing out the species simply as a means of maximizing its production.</div></=
div><div style=3D"box-sizing: border-box; border-top: 1px solid rgb(0, 0, 0=
); border-right: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-image: initial; font-family:=
 inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 17px; =
outline: 0px; padding-top: 10px; padding-right: 20px; padding-left: 0px; ve=
rtical-align: baseline; position: relative; border-bottom: 1px solid rgb(0,=
 0, 0) !important; padding-bottom: 17px !important;" id=3D"yui_3_16_0_ym19_=
1_1513816391786_52870"><div style=3D"box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; f=
ont-family: &quot;Roboto Medium&quot;, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; font-st=
yle: italic; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;=
 vertical-align: baseline;" id=3D"yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1513816391786_52871"><b=
r></div><div style=3D"box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; font-family: inh=
erit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px;=
 padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; display: flex;" id=3D"yui_3_16_0_y=
m19_1_1513816391786_52872"><div style=3D"box-sizing: border-box; border: 0p=
x; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin:=
 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 11.9688px; vertical-align: baselin=
e; width: 296.594px; position: relative; -webkit-box-flex: 2; flex-grow: 2;=
 flex-shrink: 1;" id=3D"yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1513816391786_52877"></div></div>=
</div><div style=3D"box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; font-family: inher=
it; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; p=
adding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" id=3D"yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_15138163917=
86_52884"><div style=3D"box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 1em; border: 0px=
; font-style: inherit; outline: 0px; padding-bottom: 18px; vertical-align: =
baseline; line-height: 1.5; word-break: break-word;" id=3D"yui_3_16_0_ym19_=
1_1513816391786_52885">"This scenario sounds absurd to most people, yet the=
re are a surprising number of technologists who think it illustrates a real=
 danger. Why?" Chiang wonders. "Perhaps it=E2=80=99s because they=E2=80=99r=
e already accustomed to entities that operate this way: Silicon Valley tech=
 companies."</div></div><div style=3D"box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; =
font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0p=
x; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" id=3D"yui_3_16_0_=
ym19_1_1513816391786_52886"><div style=3D"box-sizing: border-box; font-size=
: 1em; border: 0px; font-style: inherit; outline: 0px; padding-bottom: 18px=
; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 1.5; word-break: break-word;" id=
=3D"yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1513816391786_52887">In Musk's hypothetical, the dest=
ruction of human civilization follows the logic of the free market.</div></=
div><div style=3D"box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; font-family: inherit=
; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; pad=
ding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" id=3D"yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1513816391786=
_52888"><div style=3D"box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 1em; border: 0px; =
font-style: inherit; outline: 0px; padding-bottom: 18px; vertical-align: ba=
seline; line-height: 1.5; word-break: break-word;" id=3D"yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_=
1513816391786_52889">"Consider: Who pursues their goals with monomaniacal f=
ocus, oblivious to the possibility of negative consequences? Who adopts a s=
corched-earth approach to increasing market share?" Chiang continues. "[The=
] strawberry-picking AI does what every tech startup wishes it could do =E2=
=80=94 grows at an exponential rate and destroys its competitors until it=
=E2=80=99s achieved an absolute monopoly."</div></div></div></div></div></d=
iv><div style=3D"box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; font-family: Roboto, =
sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px 360px 0px 175px; outline: 0px; pad=
ding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; position: relative; width: auto; overf=
low-x: hidden;" id=3D"yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1513816391786_52890"><div style=3D"=
box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inhe=
rit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertica=
l-align: baseline;" id=3D"yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1513816391786_52891"><div data-=
src=3D"/2017/12/20/this-visionary-sci-fi-author-sees-the-destruction-of-hum=
an-civilization-predatory-capitalism_partner/" data-widget-id=3D"AR_5" data=
-ob-template=3D"salon" data-ob-mark=3D"true" data-browser=3D"chrome" data-o=
s=3D"win32" data-dynload=3D"" data-idx=3D"0" style=3D"box-sizing: border-bo=
x; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inh=
erit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" i=
d=3D"yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1513816391786_52892"><div data-dynamic-truncate=3D"t=
rue" style=3D"box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; fo=
nt-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding=
: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; position: relative; width: auto; min-width=
: 240px;" id=3D"yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1513816391786_52893"><span style=3D"box-s=
izing: border-box; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; =
font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-ali=
gn: baseline; ; top: -200px;" id=3D"yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1513816391786_52894">=
&nbsp;</span><div style=3D"box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; font-family=
: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline:=
 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" id=3D"yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1513=
816391786_52929"></div></div></div></div></div><div style=3D"box-sizing: bo=
rder-box; border: 0px; font-family: Roboto, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; ma=
rgin: auto; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; max-width=
: 1563px; position: relative;" id=3D"yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1513816391786_52930"=
><div style=3D"box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; f=
ont-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; paddin=
g: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" id=3D"yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1513816391786_52=
931"><div style=3D"box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; font-family: inheri=
t; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: auto 300px auto auto;=
 outline: 0px; padding: 20px 92px 0px 175px; vertical-align: baseline; posi=
tion: relative; width: auto; max-width: 1186px;" id=3D"yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_15=
13816391786_52932"></div></div></div><div style=3D"box-sizing: border-box; =
border: 0px; font-family: Roboto, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px;=
 outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; position: relative; =
clear: both;" id=3D"yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1513816391786_52933"></div><div style=
=3D"box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; font-family: Roboto, sans-serif; f=
ont-size: 16px; margin: auto; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: b=
aseline; max-width: 1563px; position: relative;" id=3D"yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_15=
13816391786_52934"><div style=3D"box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; font-=
family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; ou=
tline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" id=3D"yui_3_16_0_ym19_=
1_1513816391786_52935"><div style=3D"box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; f=
ont-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: aut=
o 300px auto auto; outline: 0px; padding: 20px 92px 0px 175px; vertical-ali=
gn: baseline; position: relative; width: auto; max-width: 1186px;" id=3D"yu=
i_3_16_0_ym19_1_1513816391786_52936"><div style=3D"box-sizing: border-box; =
border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inheri=
t; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" id=
=3D"yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1513816391786_52937"><div style=3D"box-sizing: border=
-box; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: =
inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;=
" id=3D"yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1513816391786_52938"><div style=3D"box-sizing: bo=
rder-box; font-size: 1em; border: 0px; font-style: inherit; outline: 0px; p=
adding-bottom: 18px; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 1.5; word-break=
: break-word;" id=3D"yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1513816391786_52939">Ultimately, the=
 catastrophe Musk and others foretell has already arrived in the form of "n=
o-holds-barred capitalism."</div></div><div style=3D"box-sizing: border-box=
; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inhe=
rit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" id=
=3D"yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1513816391786_52940"><div style=3D"box-sizing: border=
-box; font-size: 1em; border: 0px; font-style: inherit; outline: 0px; paddi=
ng-bottom: 18px; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 1.5; word-break: br=
eak-word;" id=3D"yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1513816391786_52941">"We are already sur=
rounded by machines that demonstrate a complete lack of insight, we just ca=
ll them corporations," Chiang continues. "Corporations don=E2=80=99t operat=
e autonomously, of course, and the humans in charge of them are presumably =
capable of insight, but capitalism doesn=E2=80=99t reward them for using it=
. On the contrary, capitalism actively erodes this capacity in people by de=
manding that they replace their own judgment of what 'good' means with 'wha=
tever the market decides.'"</div></div><div style=3D"box-sizing: border-box=
; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inhe=
rit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" id=
=3D"yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1513816391786_52942"><div style=3D"box-sizing: border=
-box; font-size: 1em; border: 0px; font-style: inherit; outline: 0px; paddi=
ng-bottom: 18px; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 1.5; word-break: br=
eak-word;" id=3D"yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1513816391786_52943">For Chiang, the ope=
rative word is insight. Our capacity for self-reflection, or the "recogniti=
on of one's own condition," is what separates humans from the Googles, Face=
books and Amazons. And it is this deficiency that makes these monopolies so=
 uniquely dangerous.</div></div><div style=3D"box-sizing: border-box; borde=
r: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; ma=
rgin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" id=3D"yui=
_3_16_0_ym19_1_1513816391786_52944"><div style=3D"box-sizing: border-box; f=
ont-size: 1em; border: 0px; font-style: inherit; outline: 0px; padding-bott=
om: 18px; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 1.5; word-break: break-wor=
d;" dir=3D"ltr" id=3D"yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1513816391786_52945">"We need for t=
he machines to wake up, not in the sense of computers becoming self-aware, =
but in the sense of corporations recognizing the consequences of their beha=
vior," he concludes. "Just as a superintelligent AI ought to realize that c=
overing the planet in strawberry fields isn=E2=80=99t actually in its or an=
yone else=E2=80=99s best interests, companies in Silicon Valley need to rea=
lize that increasing market share isn=E2=80=99t a good reason to ignore all=
 other considerations."</div></div></div></div></div></div></div></body></h=
tml>
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