Ethereum's Vitalik Buterin Warns AI May Cause Human Extinction, Says ''Even Mars May Not Be Safe''

Ethereum’s Vitalik Buterin Warns AI May Cause Human Extinction, Says ”Even Mars May Not Be Safe”

Updated: 28 November 2023

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Ethereum founder Vitalik Buterin said artificial intelligence (AI) may become the ”apex species” on earth and potentially lead to human extinction.

“A superintelligent AI, if it decides to turn against us, may well leave no survivors, and end humanity for good,” he wrote in a Nov. 27 blog post. “Even Mars may not be safe.”

New monster post: my own current perspective on the recent debates around techno-optimism, AI risks, and ways to avoid extreme centralization in the 21st century.https://t.co/6lN2fLBUUL pic.twitter.com/h5aIyFNCoh

— vitalik.eth (@VitalikButerin) November 27, 2023

While he considers such an outcome to be a low risk, he said humans need to proceed with caution and take precautions. If a superintelligent AI perceives humans as a threat to its survival, the potential consequences could be human extinction as the AI moves to ensure its safety.

Referring to a survey of machine learning researchers from August 2022, Buterin highlighted a 5–10% chance of AI causing harm to humans. Given this risk, Buterin emphasized the need for taking proactive steps to maintain control over a powerful AI.

Vitalik Buterin Suggests A Solution: Brain-Computer Interfaces

Buterin suggests a solution to the risks of advanced AI, using brain-computer interfaces (BCIs). BCIs directly link the human brain to AI, making communication faster.

Buterin believes this could give people more control over AI, reducing the chance of it making decisions that go against human values.

“Build AI that grows *with* humans, rather than separately from humans,” he said. “Early stages of this roadmap look quite ‘normal’ and already have very broad support.”