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He created Oculus headsets as a teenager, now he makes AI weapons for Ukraine

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Re: He created Oculus headsets as a teenager, now he makes AI weapons for Ukraine

#91

Post by nradov »

rendx wrote: post #90
ahmeneeroe-v2 wrote: post #29

(American here) I don't know anything about Palmer Luckey or Anduril, but I do believe in a strong national defense. As an individual, I can do approximately zero to stop weapons from being used for offense, rather than defense. That is wildly unfortunate and tragic, but (false dichotomy incoming) I would choose that path for my country 100% of the time over being under-armed. "The strong do what they will while the…

If it was really all about non-lethal defense, weapons would look a lot different, and many current weapons would simply be banned, with anyone owning or employing such weapons getting forced -- by non-lethal force -- to give them up.

You've got to be kidding. The notion of "non-lethal defense" is a naive fantasy.

Re: He created Oculus headsets as a teenager, now he makes AI weapons for Ukraine

#92

Post by nradov »

karaterobot wrote: post #83
nradov wrote: post #82

Earlier quoted context omitted.

More terrifying than the 13th century?

Wasn't around back then, can't say for sure.

Perhaps you should study history. So far the 21st century looks on average to be less terrifying than any previous century.

Re: He created Oculus headsets as a teenager, now he makes AI weapons for Ukraine

#93

Post by renewiltord »

archagon wrote: post #87
renewiltord wrote: post #24

This guy is great. Companies like Anduril are what we need to protect America in the next war. Defense procurement has eaten us alive and made a relatively ineffective fighting force. We need to be capable of creating liberty ships again. And the UAV and USV tech that Anduril pioneers will hopefully lead to a bunch of copycat companies that push low cost weaponry. High production wins wars. We did it last time. We ju…

Ah, the glorious peace of Vietnam and Iraq. I can’t wait for us to be “protected” by more unhinged violence against some far-off nation.

[flagged]

Re: He created Oculus headsets as a teenager, now he makes AI weapons for Ukraine

#94

Post by lccerina »

A_D_E_P_T wrote: post #75
FactKnower69 wrote: post #23

Earlier quoted context omitted.

"Heroic" hahahaha

When you consider the extent of regulatory capture in the defense industry, the degree to which prime contractors have come to overspecialize in regulatory compliance and lobbying, and the nigh insurmountable barriers to entry for new firms -- you might reconsider. Before Anduril was established, nobody was certain whether a company like that could even exist. A company, focused on defense projects, that doesn't just…

The fact that a company selling the most unethical ideas ever: unmanned, automated killing machines, is "winning" is the scariest thing ever. There is nothing heroic in selling weapons.

Re: He created Oculus headsets as a teenager, now he makes AI weapons for Ukraine

#95

Post by lccerina »

daniel-s wrote: post #8
lccerina wrote: post #2

[flagged]

Quick search, seems he donated to an anti-Hillary political group in 2016. That appears to be what attracts the accusation of racism. Link to a quote or video of what he has done/said if you have further to add to the above.

Donating for Trump doesn't make you racist (well, not directly). Designing and selling mass surveillance systems for borders control that use AI (and all biases and racism that are embedded in most training datasets) makes you a racist.

Also naming your company after Tolkien nowadays scream "I am a far right libertarian or a white supremacist"

Re: He created Oculus headsets as a teenager, now he makes AI weapons for Ukraine

#96

Post by willcipriano »

ahmeneeroe-v2 wrote: post #80
AlexandrB wrote: post #79

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Then what are you saying? If I as an individual don't want to "work with the national security community", that's my right. If they want to compel me to do so, they have to go through the judicial system and get a warrant. At what organizational size should a corporation be "brought to heel" and the right to refuse to do something for the government (without sufficient legal reason) go away?

Many (most? all?) nation-states have compulsory service, either triggered in a "draft" or always ongoing (e.g. all young people serve in some way after high school). So no, I don't believe that you as an individual have the right to not work with your nation's national security apparatus, regardless of where you reside. You may think this is only for young people but I think that's just been typical practice/need, no…

The government is way ahead of you.

Not even the women will be spared in defence of democracy in the ME and Ukraine.

https://thehill.com/policy/defense/4730560-senate-democrats-...

Re: He created Oculus headsets as a teenager, now he makes AI weapons for Ukraine

#98

Post by tim333 »

ahmeneeroe-v2 wrote: post #38

One more comment: >"And the companies that did have expertise, like Google, like Facebook, like Apple, were refusing to work with the U.S. national security community." Idk if this is true. I suspect they--at a minimum--cooperate with the "soft" side of the defense industry (e.g. NSA). However, if they don't, I think there will come a time when we will have to bring them to heel. The world won't have the luxury of su…

Contrary to that viewpoint I think there is much to be said for separating peaceful non military companies from military ones. Some reasons:

Google FB etc are inherently global. Military is inherently regional.

Mixing military and civilian tends to cause messes. See Boeing doing military stuff and now their planes and ISS shuttles don't work. Also so Cheney transferring the military biodefense budget to Fauci and the NIH and now we have lab leaks and covid.

Re: He created Oculus headsets as a teenager, now he makes AI weapons for Ukraine

#99

Post by oska »

nradov wrote: post #92
karaterobot wrote: post #83

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Wasn't around back then, can't say for sure.

Perhaps you should study history. So far the 21st century looks on average to be less terrifying than any previous century.

> any previous century

Big call here.

Re: He created Oculus headsets as a teenager, now he makes AI weapons for Ukraine

#100

Post by worthless-trash »

willcipriano wrote: post #96
ahmeneeroe-v2 wrote: post #80

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Many (most? all?) nation-states have compulsory service, either triggered in a "draft" or always ongoing (e.g. all young people serve in some way after high school). So no, I don't believe that you as an individual have the right to not work with your nation's national security apparatus, regardless of where you reside. You may think this is only for young people but I think that's just been typical practice/need, no…

The government is way ahead of you. Not even the women will be spared in defence of democracy in the ME and Ukraine. https://thehill.com/policy/defense/4730560-senate-democrats-...

I guess we'll see if equality is something that we really will follow through to the end or we only do it when it is convenient.
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