“Will disagreement about AI rights lead to societal conflict?” by Lucius Caviola

Summary: Digital sentience might be on the horizon, bringing with it an inevitable debate and significant risks.  Philosophers research whether AIs can be sentient and should deserve protection. Yet, ultimately, what matters most is what key decision-makers and the general public will think.  People will disagree on whether AIs are sentient and what types of rights they deserve (e.g., harm protection, autonomy, voting rights). Some might form strong emotional bonds with human-like AIs, driving a push to grant them rights, while others will view this as too costly or risky. Given the high stakes and wide scope of disagreement, national and even global conflicts are a possibility. We must navigate a delicate balance: not granting AIs sufficient rights could lead to immense digital suffering, while granting them rights too hastily could lead to human disempowerment. The arrival of (potentially) sentient AIs  We could soon have sentient AI systems [...] ---Outline:(01:08) The arrival of (potentially) sentient AIs(01:49) Multiple failure modes(04:30) A period of confusion and disagreement(08:06) How do people view AI sentience today?(10:41) Two sides(10:50) Resistance to AI rights(12:46) Support for AI rights(14:08) How emotional bonds with AI will shape society(16:15) What psychologies will AI companions have?(19:34) Disagreement about hidden AI suffering(21:23) Disagreement between AI safety and AI welfare advocates(22:08) Will we go to war over AI rights?(22:30) The risk of conflict in the US(23:48) Comparisons to other rights movements(27:08) The risk of global conflict(28:32) Conflict isn’t inevitable(30:43) What can we do to prepare?(31:14) Pause the development of sentient AI(35:35) Foster a nuanced discussion(38:15) Avenues for research(41:19) AcknowledgmentsThe original text contained 1 image which was described by AI. --- First published: July 3rd, 2024 Source: https://forum.effectivealtruism.org/posts/PbXTFT22fCXHorhz3/will-disagreement-about-ai-rights-lead-to-societal-conflict --- Narrated by TYPE III AUDIO.