The myth of killer AI is a self-serving attempt at regulatory capture

KETTLE Hey, did you hear? AI is going to kill us all and no one can is trying to do anything to stop it.

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This week, we're talking about the latest spate of fearmongering from AI industry insiders.

Whether you believe we just have to sit back and let Skynet end civilization is another matter altogether.

We at The Register's Kettle desk don't think so.

Join host Brandon Vigliarolo, systems editor Tobias Mann, and senior reporter Tom Claburn to hear our thoughts on how we could stop the impending AI meteor hurtling toward us by, for starters, arresting the tech bros who keep letting it do bad stuff.

We also get into how all of this is actually a self-serving attempt at regulatory capture, and how it's likely to backfire and let open models seize the reins.

A lightly edited transcript is below: Brandon (00:01) Hi everyone and welcome to another episode of The Register's Kettle Podcast.

I'm Reg reporter Brandon Vigliarolo, and this week, like so many weeks before, the biggest news in the tech industry is around AI and its potential impact on the world.

Now we're not talking about jobs or education or even the economy this time around, though.

We're talking about warnings of existential threats to the whole of humanity being issued by current and former AI researchers.

With me to discuss the coming AI doomsday are Systems Editor Tobias Mann and senior reporter Tom Claburn.

Guys, I wish I could say welcome, but this is a pretty dark topic, huh? Tom (00:37) The doomsday scenario has been around for a while.