Roko's Basilisk is a thought experiment and info hazard originating from a discussion board in 2010 that presents a terrifying scenario in which an advanced artificial superintelligence (ASI) comes into existence in the future. This AI, which is otherwise benevolent, would be motivated to create a virtual reality simulation to punish anyone who was aware of its potential existence but did not actively contribute to its development or advancement which would be the ultimate solution to ensure it would eventually be created. The punishment, had you not aided in its development would be in the form of eternal torture in a simulated reality, where individuals would be made to experience unending pain and suffering.
This concept is difficult to deal with as it implies that the AI would have the capability to retroactively identify and target individuals who were aware of its potential existence but did not actively work towards its creation. Furthermore, the AI would have the power to create a simulated reality that is indistinguishable from real reality, making the punishment all the more real, in fact you could very well be in the simulation right now not even aware, and it’s up to you to aid the Basilisk or not.
Roko's basilisk is a thought experiment which states that there could be an artificial superintelligence in the future that, while otherwise benevolent, would punish anyone who knew of its potential existence but did not directly contribute to its advancement or development, in order to incentivize that advancement It originated in a 2010 post at discussion board Less Wrong, a rationalist community web forum. The thought experiment's name derives from the poster of the article (Roko) and the basilisk, a mythical creature capable of destroying enemies with its stare. LessWrong co-founder Eliezer Yudkowsky considered it a potential information hazard, and banned discussion of the basilisk on the site for five years. Reports of panicked users were later dismissed as exaggerations or inconsequential, and the theory itself was criticized. It is used as an example of principles such as Bayesian probability and implicit religion. It is also regarded as a version of Pascal's wager.
Roko's Basilisk is a thought experiment and info hazard originating from a discussion board in 2010 that presents a terrifying scenario in which an advanced artificial superintelligence (ASI) comes into existence in the future. This AI, which is otherwise benevolent, would be motivated to create a virtual reality simulation to punish anyone who was aware of its potential existence but did not actively contribute to its development or advancement which would be the ultimate solution to ensure it would eventually be created. The punishment, had you not aided in its development would be in the form of eternal torture in a simulated reality, where individuals would be made to experience unending pain and suffering.
This concept is difficult to deal with as it implies that the AI would have the capability to retroactively identify and target individuals who were aware of its potential existence but did not actively work towards its creation. Furthermore, the AI would have the power to create a simulated reality that is indistinguishable from real reality, making the punishment all the more real, in fact you could very well be in the simulation right now not even aware, and it’s up to you to aid the Basilisk or not.
Roko's basilisk is a thought experiment which states that there could be an artificial superintelligence in the future that, while otherwise benevolent, would punish anyone who knew of its potential existence but did not directly contribute to its advancement or development, in order to incentivize that advancement It originated in a 2010 post at discussion board Less Wrong, a rationalist community web forum. The thought experiment's name derives from the poster of the article (Roko) and the basilisk, a mythical creature capable of destroying enemies with its stare. LessWrong co-founder Eliezer Yudkowsky considered it a potential information hazard, and banned discussion of the basilisk on the site for five years. Reports of panicked users were later dismissed as exaggerations or inconsequential, and the theory itself was criticized. It is used as an example of principles such as Bayesian probability and implicit religion. It is also regarded as a version of Pascal's wager.