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This weekend, The AI Doc debuted across the country. We hope it ignites a large public discussion about the future of AI and where to steer it. But if you’re new to this topic, and just saw the film, you might have questions—Here are some answers to 7 of them 🧵

Warning: mild spoilers. If you haven’t watched The AI Doc: Or How I Became an Apocaloptimist yet, bookmark this thread, go watch it, and come back later. We think everyone should watch it.

2. AI is still bad at many things; how could it threaten humanity within years? No one knows how far AI companies are from dangerously capable AI, but if current trends continue, maybe not far. And if the companies automate more of their R&D, it might advance even faster.

3. What does “AI is grown, not programmed” mean? Modern AI development starts with a neural network, feeds it lots of data, and lets an algorithm automatically nudge it to better-looking behavior. As a result, no one actually understands how they work.

4. Can we trust AI labs to proceed safely? In 2023, OpenAI said “Currently, we don’t have a solution for steering or controlling a potentially superintelligent AI, and preventing it from going rogue.” This is still true for OpenAI, and its competitors.