Issue Existential risk of superintelligent AI versus the distraction hypothesis

Summary

The report records that, looking further ahead, some circles worry about the existential risks of AI as a superintelligent entity. In this view humanity could lose out to a generation of AI that is smarter than we are. Such an entity would not only make humans redundant but could also slip out of human control and cause harm. Others label this concern the distraction hypothesis. Their argument is that speculative doom scenarios pull attention away from the real risks that AI poses today. The current risks the report discusses include rising disinformation, algorithmic bias, privacy violations and dependence on a small number of technology companies.