Trump wants to redefine AI, but his ‘superintelligence’ already exists - and it has a sinister meaning

The article discusses the emergence of 'superintelligence' as a concept in political discourse, specifically referencing Donald Trump's recent comments. It highlights the work of philosopher Nick Bostrom, who predicted the societal implications of advanced AI long before the current boom in LLMs.
Why it matters
As AI becomes a central theme in global political rhetoric, understanding the philosophical and ethical origins of these terms is crucial for public discourse.
In 2014, a philosopher saw almost all of this coming and wrote a famous book about ‘superintelligence’. At the UN this week, Trump championed the term. It seems that he and his Silicon Valley friends are having some deeply concerning conversations, writes Holly Baxter
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