The Shaping of AI Policy: How Silicon Valley's Influence Alters Britain's Approach

Britain's initial stance on AI was relaxed, but it has shifted due to concerns about AI's "existential risks."

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Prime Minister Rishi Sunak is now taking AI safety seriously, announcing an international AI Safety Summit and setting up an AI safety taskforce.

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The shift is influenced by the "Effective Altruism" movement, which originated in Oxford University and is supported by Silicon Valley elites.

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Effective altruists believe that super-intelligent AI could either lead to utopia or annihilation, and they advocate for long-term AI policies.

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Key government advisers in the UK are sympathetic to the Effective Altruism movement's concerns.

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Tech investor Ian Hogarth warned about the dangers of pursuing "God-like AI," gaining widespread attention.

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Several organizations with ties to Effective Altruism have partnered with the UK's Foundation Model Taskforce.

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There are concerns that Effective Altruism's influence could lead to regulatory capture.

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Some researchers believe that the focus on existential risks could distract from the immediate ethical concerns of AI, such as bias and data privacy.

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The movement's close ties to Silicon Valley raise questions about its objectivity and independence.

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