[Throwaway account for obvious reasons]

As a longtime veteran of LW, I'm no stranger to grappling with complex and uncomfortable ideas. I've always taken pride in my ability to engage in rational discourse and seek truth, even when it's inconvenient or challenging. That's why I find myself in a particularly distressing situation involving my partner, who is herself a highly intelligent individual, holding an advanced technical degree from a top university.

Recently, I've become increasingly concerned about xRisk from AI, a topic I'm sure many of you can relate to. The more I engage with Eliezer's writings and other LW content, the more alarmed I become about the potential dangers of AGI. However, my partner seems completely unbothered by these concerns.

In an attempt to bridge the gap, I sent her some of Eliezer's posts on AI risk, hoping they would make her take the issue more seriously. But her response was dismissive at best. She said that she didn't think the risks were a big deal and that we shouldn't worry about them.

Her arguments, which I found shallow and unpersuasive, revolved around the notions that "the good AIs will just fight the bad AIs" and "anyone intelligent enough to cause trouble would inherently understand the positive sum nature of the world." As many of us here know, these arguments don't account for the myriad complexities and potential catastrophic consequences of AGI development.

The growing chasm between our views on xRisk has left me wondering whether our relationship can survive this divergence. I'm genuinely considering breaking up with her because of our seemingly irreconcilable differences on this crucial issue. It's not that I don't love her; I just don't know if I can be with someone who doesn't share my concern for humanity's long-term future.

So, fellow LWers, I seek your guidance: How can I help her see the importance of AI risk and its potential impact on the world? Is there a better way to approach this conversation? Or should I accept that our views may never align, and move on?

I welcome your thoughts, experiences, and any advice you might have. The stakes feel incredibly high, both for my relationship and for the world as a whole.

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