AI: existential danger or no big deal?

Welcome to “**Skeptic Dinners**,” a series of events facilitated by Prof. [Massimo Pigliucci](https://figsinwintertime.substack.com/), a philosopher and biologist at the City College of New York. The idea is similar to that of the [Ancient Greek symposia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Symposium): let’s get a small number of like-minded people together over drinks and food and discuss interesting subjects! > So, is AI a great technology that will usher a new era of progress and prosperity for humanity, or is it going to kill us all? Make up your mind by reading and discussing together two articles representing the opposing viewpoints, a [skeptic technique](https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/in_utramque_partem) going back to ancient Greece and Rome! Suggested readings / viewing: \* Pausing AI Developments Isn't Enough. We Need to Shut it All Down, by Eliezer Yudkowsky (available for [free download as pdf here](https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/p77lnyhrc79s1i3xmc1jx/AI-The-Only-Way-to-Deal-With-the-Threat-From-AI-Yudkowsky.PDF?rlkey=g4ehxsnktsbc0mtsjvdl79hy3&st=zq9oxqcc&dl=0)) \* The case for AI doom isn't very convincing, by Timothy B. Lee (available for [free download as pdf here](https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/3tttco8y93sofsan0eg9l/AI-The-case-for-AI-doom-isn-t-very-convincing-Lee.PDF?rlkey=ruy8x2wk5hgakwns97thwl4cx&st=ty05zwko&dl=0)) > NOTE: Since these are dinner events at a restaurant, **you are expected to consume some food**.