Live data from Hacker News

Google drops pledge not to use AI for weapons or surveillance

washingtonpost.com

181–190 of 567 posts

Re: Google drops pledge not to use AI for weapons or surveillance

#181
post #79

Earlier quoted context omitted.

So "if I don't steal it someone else will"? I'd rate that as evil.

If you want to take it so far off topic, then sure, go ahead with it.

I think the poster is applying your statement about leaving money on the table. Structural requirements to not leave money on the table is a Moloch results that leads to the deterioration of the system into being just stealing as much shit as possible.

Re: Google drops pledge not to use AI for weapons or surveillance

#182
post #143

Good, this idea that all weapons are evil is an insane luxury belief.

Weapons inherently aren’t evil, which is why everyone has kitchen knives. People use weapons to do evil. The problem with building AI weapons is that eventually it will be in the hands of people who are morally bankrupt and therefore will use them to do evil.

Much as it is the case with guns, why is the "problem" the tools or provider of the tools and not the user of the tools?

Re: Google drops pledge not to use AI for weapons or surveillance

#183
post #52

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The bait-and-switch model is absolutely amazing as well. Start by offering a service covered with ads. Then add paid tier to get rid of ads. Next add tier with payment and ads. And finally add ads back to every possible tier. Not to forget about keeping them in content all the time.

If you have ever seen the prank interview between Elijah Wood and Dominic Monaghan, "Do you wear wigs? Have you worn wigs? Will you wear wigs?" and Elijah breaks down laughing in total shock at how hilariously bad the interview is... ...I just picture a similar conversation with a CEO going: "Sir, shareholders want to see more improvement this quarter." CEO: "Do we run ads? Have we run ads? Will we run ads this time?…

[deleted]

Re: Google drops pledge not to use AI for weapons or surveillance

#184

Earlier quoted context omitted.

[flagged]

That.. is a new one. I thought I am fairly aware of various forms of coded language. Care to elaborate?

Fwiw I’m way too dumb to speak in coded language.

Re: Google drops pledge not to use AI for weapons or surveillance

#186

Earlier quoted context omitted.

[flagged]

> than a chatgpt style Literally just remove the first 4 words and keep the rest of the comment the same, and it's a better comment. No idea what chatgpt has to do with it.

That would be removing information and strictly worse that including it.

Communication is about communicating information, sometimes a terse short and aggressive style is the most effective way. It activates neurons in a way a paragraph of polite argumentation doesn't.

Re: Google drops pledge not to use AI for weapons or surveillance

#187
post #52
post #39

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You're taking about pre-Clinton consumerism. That system is dead. It used to dictate that the company who could offer the best value deserved to take over most of the market. That's old thinking. Now we have servitization. Now the business who can most efficiently offer value deserves the entire market. Basically, iterate until you're the only one left standing and then never "sell" anything but licenses ever again.

The bait-and-switch model is absolutely amazing as well. Start by offering a service covered with ads. Then add paid tier to get rid of ads. Next add tier with payment and ads. And finally add ads back to every possible tier. Not to forget about keeping them in content all the time.

Advertising is just the surface layer—the excuse. Digital ads rely on collecting as much personal data as possible, but that data is the real prize. This creates a natural partnership with intelligence agencies: they may not legally collect the data themselves, but they can certainly buy access.

This isn’t new. Facebook, for example, received early funding from In-Q-Tel, the CIA’s venture capital arm, and its origins trace back to DARPA’s canceled LifeLog project—a system designed to track and catalog people’s entire lives. Big Tech and government surveillance have been intertwined from the start.

That’s why these companies never face real consequences. They’ve become quasi-government entities, harvesting data on billions under the guise of commerce.

Re: Google drops pledge not to use AI for weapons or surveillance

#188

I want to be upset over this in an exasperated expression of oddly naive "why can't we all get along?" frame of mind. I want to, because I know how I would like the world to look like, but as a species we, including myself, continually fail to disappoint when it comes nearly guaranteed self-destruction. I want to get upset over it, but I sadly recognize the reality of the why this is not surprising to anyone. We actu…

In WWII neither side used poison gas. It doesn’t have to be this way.

Re: Google drops pledge not to use AI for weapons or surveillance

#189

I want to be upset over this in an exasperated expression of oddly naive "why can't we all get along?" frame of mind. I want to, because I know how I would like the world to look like, but as a species we, including myself, continually fail to disappoint when it comes nearly guaranteed self-destruction. I want to get upset over it, but I sadly recognize the reality of the why this is not surprising to anyone. We actu…

[flagged]

Re: Google drops pledge not to use AI for weapons or surveillance

#190
post #155
post #150

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Could you imagine how the entire world would look if they took truth serum for an entire year, how different the world might be? Lies run the planet, and it stinks.

[flagged]

I don't think they meant the "truth" truth but people saying what they really think and being open about their motivations.
Post reply on HN