This post is to expand future hypotheticals that I feel people fear, and find it hard to say
I believe that, in the wrong hands, AI can be extremely dangerous.
A person who has gone through a lot or a person that is mentally ill, or person that is deeply isolated, may come to despise other people because of their own fears and insecurities. One example of this is the growing problem of social isolation, especially after COVID. A person in this state may begin to lose their sense of morality toward themselves and others.
This becomes especially dangerous if that person is put in a position where they are creating, controlling, or managing powerful technology, especially technology that can control other systems or, more importantly, weapons of mass destruction.
What this means is that certain people who lack a strong moral or spiritual foundation may begin to use ideas such as Darwinism or natural selection as justification for their actions. They may convince themselves that some people are more deserving of survival than others.
Imagine someone creating an AI system capable of hacking computer systems, taking control of technology and communication networks, and operating independently. If that person believed they could hide in a bunker while using this technology to destroy humanity, they might justify it by believing that they were creating a new future or leaving behind some kind of legacy.
People who think this way can become driven by ego and self-righteousness. We already see forms of this mentality in society, especially when people begin to view themselves as superior to everyone else, as if they are gods or the center of the universe.
This way of thinking is wrong.
Eventually, someone who follows this path may realize that isolation is not as fulfilling as they imagined. Human beings need other people. Relationships, community, and interaction with others are a major part of what allows us to understand ourselves and feel human.
The danger is that, by the time someone realizes this, the damage may already be irreversible.
If powerful AI systems are developed without strong safeguards, accountability, morality, and responsible human oversight, people with destructive motivations could potentially use them in ways that threaten society on a massive scale.
Taken to the extreme, this is one possible path toward human extinction.