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Defensive Accelerationism

Vitalik Buterin, the creator of Ethereum, recently wrote an essay on the risks and opportunities of AI and other technologies. He responds to Marc Andreessen’s manifesto on techno-optimism and the growth of the effective accelerationism (e/acc) movement, and offers a more nuanced perspective.

Technology is often great for humanity, the essay argues, but AI could be an exception to that rule. Rather than giving governments control of AI so they can protect us, Buterin argues that we should build defensive technologies that provide security against catastrophic risks in a decentralized society. Cybersecurity, biosecurity, resilient physical infrastructure, and a robust information ecosystem are some of the technologies Buterin believes we should build to protect ourselves from AI risks.

Technology has risks, but regulation is no panacea. Longer lifespans, lower poverty rates, and expanded access to education and information are among the many successes Buterin credits to technology. But most would recognize that technology can also cause harms, such as global warming. Buterin specifically says that, unlike most technologies, AI presents an existential threat to humanity.

To address this risk, some advocate strong government control of AI development. Buterin is uncomfortable with this solution, and he expects that many others will be too. Many of history’s worst catastrophes have been deliberately carried out by powerful political figures such as Stalin and Mao. AI could help brutal regimes surveil and control large populations, and Buterin is wary of accelerating that trend by pushing AI development from private labs to public ones.

Between the extremes of unrestrained technological development and absolute government control, Buterin advocates for a new path forwards. He calls his philosophy d/acc, where the “d” stands for defense, democracy, decentralization, or differential technological development.

Defensive technologies for a decentralized world. Buterin advocates the acceleration of technologies that would protect society from catastrophic risks. Specifically, h...

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