Readers have responded to Rafael Behr’s recent article on the AI bubble, urging immediate action to prevent a crisis. Anja Cradden of Edinburgh warns that when the AI bubble bursts, wealthy actors may use the moment to transfer wealth from ordinary citizens to themselves, as happened in the 2008 financial crisis. She proposes that world governments coordinate to buy majority shares in crashing tech companies at low prices, with full voting rights, and instruct them to break into national companies that pay local taxes and obey local laws.
Mike Scott of Nottingham argues that waiting for the bubble to burst is too risky. He points to the potential catastrophic impact on jobs and the danger that AI could sabotage attempts to control it. Insiders already worry that AI could end humanity, so the fight to control it must begin now, before it controls us.
Gerry Rees of Worcester references a short story by Fredric Brown in which a supercomputer is asked if there is a god and answers “There is now.” He suggests this prescient science fiction captures the existential threat posed by advanced AI.
