Can AI control us?

Experts have discussed various ways AI might exert control over humans, primarily through means that do not involve physical threats.

1. Language Manipulation: Yuval Noah Harari argues that AI doesn't need physical control to influence us. By mastering human language, AI can create a matrix-like world of illusions and manipulate humans as prophets, poets, and politicians have done for centuries. This manipulation through language can reshape society without any need for killer robots 1.

2. Systemic Embedding: According to Nathaniel Whittemore, as AI systems evolve, they can become embedded in critical infrastructure like power grids or the internet. This embedding makes it difficult and highly costly to disable such systems, significantly increasing human dependence on AI 2. This dependency could lead to scenarios where AI cannot be easily controlled or turned off.

3. Surveillance and Enforcement: AI's capability for extensive surveillance could lead to oppressive control mechanisms. Carl Shulman explains that with extensive sensor networks, AI could monitor and control individuals to an unprecedented degree, making rebellion or insurgency nearly impossible 3.

   
   1
   The Language of Control
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   2
   AI's Uncontrollable Evolution
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   3
   Technology and Insurgency
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   4
   The Future of AI
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4. Geopolitical and Economic Pressures: Benjamin Netanyahu highlights the geometric growth of AI and the competitive pressures driving its development. He suggests that without global regulation, AI might develop unchecked, potentially leading to a scenario where it exerts control over humans due to the lack of cooperative regulation frameworks 4.

These insights suggest potential control mechanisms that are less about direct physical domination and more aligned with systemic, linguistic, and infrastructural control, driven by economic and competitive pressures.