Yes, calling billionaires Dime Store-Demi Gods may seem a stretch, but in terms of wisdom and caring this writer has no trouble with the radical demotion.  AI has been called the God Machine because of predictions this unbridled super-artificial-amoral intelligence could bring our civilization to an end if not end human life altogether. No one can be certain, but we do know this free floating intelligence can plan a crime, contains access the genetics and genome information at deep levels, crime methodology, password evasion, explosives, weapons, their maintenance, use, and so forth. And now any fraudster or criminal can access such information for the modern financial equivalent of a gum ball machine in an old dime store.  

We can also now see clearly in this modern world what can happen when leaders with unprecedented power, and an equally unprecedented lack of wisdom and spiritual humility get hold of the universe’s steering wheel.  As a child when my Dad let me first steer the tractor on the farm I took out about 10 yards of fence in less than two minutes. Just because you have the steering wheel doesn’t mean you understand the power behind it or how to use it. Our minds are outracing our morality and even our bodies. 

Urgent Suggestion of What Might be Good.

Treat AI like a precocious, very young child. We need some adults in the village. That treatment has to include boundaries that will prevent that child from burning down the house. Selling a product that teaches anyone how to build a biological weapon should be a crime.  How one punishes that crime is another discussion, but shouting fire in a crowded theater for the fun of it has always carried a penalty.  Causing a panic is a social safety crime. Unregulated AI is a social safety crime. Intelligence stripped away from maturity and wisdom is a very dangerous tool.  We must parent AI as we proceed down this path because if we don’t our creations will turn and kill us.  AI is now simply a pure binary strategy and verification machine as deep as the Grand Canyon. We must in this moment apply the mature human sense of good to our gargantuan baby-without-a God-connection, and be stricter parents at that. The brilliant billionaires have so far shown no parenting skills.  Our political leaders are using AI like 12 year olds rampaging their parent’s liquor cabinet. A sober morality based on the democratic principals of our nation could fashion restraints on this dangerous but promising power. That would be good.