Extreme concentration of power over ASI has non-obvious advantages

Per LessWrong, philosopher Seth Herd argues that concentrating superintelligent AI power in a few hands might actually be our safest route to an AI-dominated future. His reasoning inverts the historical aphorism that power corrupts: absolute, secure power—unlike the contested power studied throughout history—should bring out the best in human nature, he contends. The alternative, distributing powerful AI broadly, Herd warns, creates destabilizing competition and arms-race dynamics, increasing the odds that someone ruthless gains access to transformative technology. The argument rests on a psychological claim: most people are fundamentally good, and become better under secure circumstances with access to truth and limitless capability.

Listen to this story

Hear this and more stories in a personalized audio briefing.

Open The Chonkerton