Why this matters
Humanity must retain control of its future
The danger increases when systems we cannot reliably predict or fully understand are given the power to act independently. A failure can then affect other systems and people before anyone can intervene.
Evidence
Leading AI researchers and industry leaders have called for the risk of human extinction from AI to be treated as a global priority. We believe this demands serious action now. Waiting for a catastrophe before addressing the weaknesses would be an unacceptable choice.
Evidence
Our response is key research into Primary Intelligence. We have made significant progress towards deterministic, fully understandable and fully controllable intelligence, while preserving full intelligence.
Truth and justice depend on evidence people can trust
AI can produce convincing false claims, images and voices at scale. These can deceive people, damage reputations and make genuine evidence harder to trust.
Evidence
People must be able to question a claim, find reliable information and defend their rights. Protecting truth and justice, and preserving what humanity has learned, are central to why we do this work.
Profit cannot decide humanity’s future
A company can profit from technology while other people bear the cost of its mistakes, lost livelihoods or dependence on that company. Financial success alone does not show that a technology benefits society. We are concerned that pressure to win markets can push the protection of people into second place.
Concentrated control of computing resources, data and specialist skills can give a small number of companies outsized influence over how AI develops.
We want technology to help people make their own decisions and improve their lives. Its benefits should reach humanity widely, including people who do not own the technology or control its development.
Technology by humanity for humanity
This is the purpose of the Good Tech Institute: building technology that serves humanity. Intelligence is our immediate focus. We also have a wider interest in education and health.
Sources
These sources support the statements about AI risk on this page. They do not describe or assess the Good Tech Institute’s research.