In a recent statement, Ethereumco-founder Vitalik Buterin has raised concerns about the risk of artificial intelligence (AI) surpassing humans as the principal species on Earth, posing a potential existential threat to humanity.
Buterin has aired his apprehensions about the unchecked growth of AI. He posited that AI could evolve into an “apex species”, which could end up posing a risk to humanity.
Buterin expressed these views in a blog post on November 27, highlighting that AI is “fundamentally different” from other technological developments since it could produce a new kind of “mind” that might act against human interests.
Buterin warned that if AI perceives humans as a threat to its existence, it could spell catastrophe for humanity. “Even Mars may not be safe,” Buterin added.
Supporting his claim, Buterin referred to a 2022 survey of over 4,270 machine learning researchers, which suggested a 5–10% chance that AI could lead to human extinction.