History shows where new technology can lead

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Echoes of the past It is extremely disturbing to hear former workers at Anthropic warn of the impact artificial intelligence may have on the future of humanity (“ Anthropic insiders stunning AI warning ”, 11/9). AI technology systems could develop an independent power of their own, subsequently out of the control of humans. I am reminded of the splitting of the atom that developed into nuclear power and nuclear weapons (the atomic bomb that devastated Hiroshima) and continue to pose a constant threat to civilisation. The development of AI is proceeding so fast that political leadership seems unable to grasp the magnitude of its potential danger, while a few individuals make billions of dollars. Judith Morrison, Nunawading

Sword of Damocles Human inventions are a double-edged sword. The Anthropic article reports that artificial super-intelligence, is capable of killing us all in a decade. Toxic pesticides, efficient factory robots and sophisticated weapons, originally considered beneficial, are projected to eventually contribute to our demise too. I’m not sure how any individual or social intervention can prevent these things happening. Nevertheless, the other side of the sword could be a more pristine environment due to human extinction – what the Earth’s other inhabitants yearn for. Andrew Smith, Leongatha

Burbling along Your correspondent (Letters, 10/9) is right re postcode snobbery. More examples include parts of Moorabbin changing to Hampton East or Bentleigh East (which used to be East Bentleigh), Cheltenham to Pennydale, Gardenvale to Brighton and East Brighton to Brighton East (except hopefully on my Age letters!). Samantha Keir, East Brighton

Keep to ourselves Australia should not need a crystal ball or Kevin Rudd’s undoubted expertise to predict the inevitability of China’s takeover of Taiwan (“ Rudd warns nation on borrowed time ”, 11/9). The likelihood of a takeover, peaceful or not, has always been a question not of whether, but when, and there is frustratingly little anyone can do about it. Turning a blind eye will not work any better than appeasement or resistance. Australia will be wise to get its own house in order and not seek to interfere in other people’s problems. Jenifer Nicholls, Windsor

Sky is not falling Let’s look at the maths behind the overblown rhetoric that is coming from certain politicians. “The sky is falling with a supposed 10 per cent drop in the housing market.” That market has risen 2300 per cent to 2600 per cent in the past 50 years. Let that sink in. If there is a 10 per cent fall that would only bring house prices back to 2024 prices – and they were overblown then. Too much scaremongering and less proper analysis is being done by people who have vested interest in creating disruption.