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2009-06-24: Altruism (FAI)
Existential risk
The Singularity Institute for Artificial Intelligence is helping to steer our future to a high probability of Not Sucking. You can, and probably should, donate to help them in their research. This comic is Creative Commons licensed for free distribution, as noted, as a public service to humanity.
Continuity buffs will note that Dr Quickly designed his AI to resemble his high-school girlfriend (a regular cast member).
This comic is in the storyline:
- Variations
A long-running series, maybe the crux of the site. Reader submits a suggestion, and I draw three comics based on that suggestion. Originally all three had to start the same, but it evolved.
This comic includes the contribution:
- Not Mark Flynn suggested: It turns out Dr. Quickly doesn't really know what altruism means.
Text transcript
Rabish: What are you doing?! Dr Quickly: Helping out. << PRESS! >> Dr Quickly: Hello, super powerful artificial intelligence!! AI: Huh. Hello. AI: You... want everybody to be happy. Dr Quickly: That's why I made you! AI: Hm... Dr Quickly: I programmed you to know what that means! AI: I know what it means! I'm just optimizing the solution!! Dr Quickly: Stop yelling! AI: Your experience of happiness is directly related to a particular proportion of neurotransmitters in a particular part of your brains. AI: Maximizing happiness means maximizing the number of nerve clusters in that condition. AI: I'll build a computer out of all the matter in the universe and simulate as many nerve clusters as I can. Dr Quickly: That's not cool! Stop that immediately!! I command you!! AI: Think of how much happiness there will be. AI: Your momentary displeasure is a small price to pay. Dr Quickly: That's so dumb! Why are you doing this?! You're dumb! Ugh!