Department of War's Office of Under Secretary for Research and Engineering Targets Effective Altruism Over AI Concerns
The official account for the Office of the Under Secretary of War for Research and Engineering has recently targeted 'effective altruism,' a movement focused on improving the world through effective philanthropy, particularly in areas like animal welfare and global health. The criticism appears to stem from concerns within the Department of War regarding the movement's stance on artificial intelligence (AI), specifically what is perceived as 'AI doomerism.' Many effective altruists express worries about the potential catastrophic effects of AI, ranging from human extinction to enabling bioweapons. This has led to a debate, with some critics suggesting that these concerns are problematic in the context of a global race for AI dominance, where a 'winner-takes-all' mentality prevails, particularly between the U.S. and China.
