Several people have been raising the possibility of arms control negotiations for ‘AI’ along the lines of the agreements once made regarding nuclear and other weapons of mass destruction.
Understanding the extension of ‘throw-weight’ and other arcane concepts to the world of artificial intelligence, or how AI will be made a participant in such negotiations and a signatory to whatever comes of them, is beyond the capacity of this early modern brain. But, good for them.
Why not extend their demand to cover other threats to the survival of humanity? Here are a few that might benefit from an arms control regime, even from unilateral disarmament. Readers are invited to add their favourite vices to the list.
Moral exhibitionism (ie, ‘sanctions’)
Tabloid journalism
Extraterritoriality
Multinational summitry
Digitisation and securitisation
‘Woods (Holly, Bolly, Nolly, et al.)
Package tourism
Cryptocurrency
Genetic engineering
Fracking
Eurovision
TED talks
Fructose