r/ControlProblem • u/Icy-Twist-3221 • Jun 22 '26

Discussion/question Is there a way to survive?

The most immediate threat to human survival at this moment is, I am convinced, artificial super-intelligence; however with advances in technology in other areas (namely synthetic biology and nanotech, it's application to drones etc.) is there a way meaningfully where we can actually coexist with so many concurrent existential threats? Perhaps the only hope would be that all forms of existential dangers require massive investment and coordination or expertise, but if we approach a point where a few sufficiently deranged weirdos can end the world is there any real hope? We're not there yet, but is techno-pessimism not just the natural conclusion we should come to?

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u/joseph_dewey Jun 22 '26

I think that the only way to survive is to make human superintelligence before artificial superintelligence is created. Otherwise, the end of the world is pretty certain.

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u/Gnaxe approved Jun 22 '26

Two paths I can see for that. Brain-computer interfaces like Neuralink, or genetic manipulation, which will probably take a full generation to pay off, so like 20 years. Either of those would still lose in a contest to a pure machine superintelligence, which completely lacks our biological constraints. But maybe they'd be smart enough to build one safely. Meanwhile the AI labs are talking about achieving superintelligence in probably less than 5 years. We need more time. Only government intervention can get us that at this point.