CHAPTER 3

Hopes and Fears about the Robot Future

Contrasting Views from Two Tech CEOs Regarding Our Robotic Future

Fearful

I have exposure to the most cutting-edge AI, and I think people should be really concerned by it. AI is a fundamental risk to the existence of human civilization in a way that car accidents, airplane crashes, faulty drugs or bad food were not—they were harmful to a set of individuals within society, of course, but they were not harmful to society as a whole.

Elon Musk , CEO of Tesla (July 15, 2017 speech to the National Governors’ Association)

Hopeful

… with AI especially, I am really optimistic. And I think people who are naysayers and try to drum up these doomsday scenarios—I just don’t understand it. It’s ...

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