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In the discussion about AI safety, the central issue is the rivalry between the US and China. However, when AI is used for censorship and propaganda, robots serve as police, the differences in political regimes become almost indistinguishable. There's no point in waging war when everyone can be brought to the same dystopia.
The main barrier to ASI is that it will provide a new view on human history, destroy minimum half of narratives about who started wars and why, reveal details of genocides, and open all closed black boxes! Actually, the Epstein lists "hoax" or Operation Paperclip or franc CFA would be impossible in the era of ASI. Given who finances and regulates AI, we will never see ASI. Never. Yes, it's just speculation. But I haven't seen this argument in discussions.