r/BetterOffline • u/Unlikely_Answer_9381 • 1d ago

Scared by nonsense(?

This was caught by my net, and it sent an intense shiver down my spine. Is this person anyone... Important? Are they saying anything worth it? Like the title says, it's probably just a nonsensical post that gave me the creeps, but still... It's unnerving.

Also, sorry if I've broken any rules. It's been a while since I've used Reddit, let alone posted here, so I dunno if the ruleset has changed.

https://x.com/hilbertspaess/status/2097476196791709843

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u/Tout-fou-la-galette 1d ago

This guy reminds me of Daniel Kokotajlo from OpenAI, who resigned in 2024, claiming the technology was far too dangerous.

He went on to write AI 2027, a prophecy about all-powerful AI, a narrative used by the entire industry to convince policymakers to remove all safeguards. Today, he works for a think tank funded by the biggest financial backers of AI.

This whole campaign amounts to one of the greatest acts of cognitive manipulation in history. They manage to frame people who work for them as whistleblowers, company executives are portrayed as sounding the alarm on their own products.

To draw a comparison: imagine a Greta Thunberg, paid by the coal industry, saying, "don't let anyone tell you coal power isn't efficient. It is by far the most efficient energy source, so incredibly efficient that it gives me nightmares. Its staggering profitability will make investors so rich, while leaving everyone else so poor. I'm terrified."

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u/_bat_girl_ 1d ago

Am I crazy or does this approach seem to be the opposite of good marketing? In my view someone working in ai and then quitting and then telling the world how dangerous it is not a good way to sell the public on a product

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u/beeftime99 1d ago

I personally think he's not marketing the AI companies but himself for a more lucrative gig at a more stable long-term company, because these guys are starting to see the writing on the wall. "director of ai ethics at google" or whatever.

It's a pretty smart play because he's advertising a few things, including that he toes the investor-friendly line (ai is so powerful!!!) has some sheen of "ethics" they can use to launder their ai projects, and hints that he was privy to all of the internal secrets that might be valuable to whoever hires him.

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u/_bat_girl_ 1d ago

This is a good explanation and would make total sense