Artificial Intelligence Could Threaten Human Immortality, Says Former Presidential Candidate – Decrypt

With tech companies including Microsoft, Apple and Google pouring billions into artificial intelligence research, the question of the arrival of general artificial intelligence and the resulting singularity is no longer a matter of if, but when. For some, including former US presidential candidate Zoltan Istvan, however, the rapid advances in AI since ChatGPT’s inception are outpacing the biosciences, casting doubt on the quest for immortality.

Born in Los Angeles, journalist and author Istvan founded the Transhumanist Party in 2014. He was the subject of the 2019 documentary Immortality or Bust, which documents his 2016 run for president, as well as a new biography, “ Transhuman Citizen: Zoltan Istvan’s Hunt for Immortality” by Ben Murnane.

“When I was involved in [transhumanist] movement, I believed we were only 20 years away from extreme life extension,” Istvan said decode. “But now, because of ChatGPT, I think we’re going to hit AGI, artificial general intelligence, long before we actually get the biotechnology to live indefinitely.”

AGI is the advent of a machine with the ability to understand, learn and apply knowledge to a wide range of tasks as well as to humans. The threat, Istvan posits, comes when AGI reaches the singularity and can no longer be controlled by humans.

“So maybe our biggest threat to our immortality or living indefinitely is artificial intelligence, a Terminator scenario, and I’m not saying that’s going to happen,” Istvan said. “What I’m trying to say is that when I started AI in the life extension areas, we were moving at the same pace, and all of a sudden, in the last two years, ChatGPT and AI went much faster than life. the sciences did.”

Transhumanism aims to rise above human limitations through technology, with AI playing a crucial role in enhancing physical and intellectual capacities. When AGI and the singularity are achieved, however, Istvan expressed concerns that machines may decide not to help humans, seeing them as a threat to the world.

“I’m worried it’s only a year ago [AI] says, ‘Why should I create synthetic human organs for people when you’re destroying the planet’ or something,” he said. “All of a sudden, HE says, ‘I’m just not interested in helping people.’ That would be a very logical response to any species that becomes very powerful.”

Despite these concerns, Istvan is still optimistic about the possibility of significantly extending human life in his lifetime, thanks to a growing interest in longevity and life extension research.

“You have to see transhumanism as a movement, like environmentalism was 20 years ago,” Istvan said. “We’re building, we’re already many millions of people out there saying, ‘I want technology in my body, I want to use technology every day, I want to walk into my house and command my robot army to do everything.'” it is transhumanism.”

Beyond conveniences and longer lifespans, Istvan noted another aspect of mobility is the ability to replace defective or missing limbs and allow people to connect to computers using their brains. In May, Neuralink founder Elon Musk revealed the identity of the first recipient of its Brain-Computer Interface technology, Noland Arbaugh, a quadriplegic man from Arizona. On Wednesday, ChatGPT developer OpenAI announced a partnership with the historic Los Alamos National Laboratory to use GPT-4o to study bioscience and how researchers tackle tasks with AI embedded in the process.

“Some of them are here, not as much as we want, but it’s all coming,” Istvan said. “Assuming the world can continue on a peaceful trajectory through all the political turmoil and all that.”

In 2016, Istvan ran for president, and to draw attention to his campaign, he drove a coffin-shaped bus across the country. As a third-party candidate, Istvan said he wanted a special campaign vehicle to draw attention to his message, particularly the goal of overcoming death through science.

“The coffin bus to some extent, I don’t want to say it’s performance art, or it was just a stunt because it’s a very real idea,” he said. “We needed to make people aware of the idea that if we don’t put resources into life extension science now, we’re going to die.”

While Istvan did not comment on the cognitive performances of the current leading candidates for 2024, he expressed disappointment that the recent debate between US President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump focused more on immigration and golf scores than the threats and potential benefits of scientific research. and AI.

“Because at the end of the day, you know, from the debates, nobody wants to talk about the 800-pound gorilla in the room, which is AI,” he said. “No one wants to talk about the fact that if we all live indefinitely, what does that do to Social Security? We want to talk about immigration, and a lot of that stuff is not at the forefront right now of what’s really going on with the world “.

While Istvan’s plan to become leader of the free world did not materialize, Istvan said he was not done with politics and ran for Governor of California in 2018 and again for president in 2020 as a Libertarian candidate, but failed provide nomination.

“The thing is, I still want to bring science into the picture,” he said. “I don’t care that it’s not a good topic to talk about and I don’t care that it’s not sitting well with voters right now.

“One day, it will be fine with the voters because everyone will be so afraid of what is happening to the world, we better hear from experts and people who have been involved in science and technology for the last 20 years,” Istvan . added.

Undaunted, he said he is considering another run for California’s highest office.

“The main platform of my politics has always been, let’s take a lot of money from the military and fight wars on cancer, on Alzheimer’s, on aging,” he said. “It’s a very simple philosophy: Instead of trying to be the big cop on the planet, let’s try to fight wars with things that really affect our loved ones.”

Edited by Ryan Ozawa.