Hank and Bernie talk about AI (for real)

Humanity is currently experiencing one of the most significant and disruptive communications revolutions in its history, which invented many-to-many communication.

A second revolution, AI, is simultaneously being introduced, impacting communication, labor, and biotech.

Hank Green believes that introducing two destabilizing things at the same time is not always great.

Communication is the only thing that is actually special about humans, as it allows for transmitting a lot of information very quickly.

Bernie Sanders believes the AI and robotics revolution will be far more consequential and move faster than any economic revolution in human history, making the Industrial Revolution seem insignificant.

Jeffrey Hinton, considered one of the godfathers of AI, worries that within a few years, AI will become smarter than human beings and may disassociate itself from human control.

Approximately three years ago, a thousand leaders in the AI industry, including Elon Musk, signed a letter urging a slowdown in AI development due to potential dangers.

Some psychologists believe that screen time has contributed to loneliness, isolation, and the inability of many young people to relate to each other.

Bernie Sanders believes that the current oligarchy is wealthier and more powerful than any ruling class in US history, controlling media, the economy, and putting huge amounts of money into the political system.

Hank Green suggests that AI data centers should be required to turn off during moments of peak electricity demand to prevent the need for expensive grid expansion and to avoid subsidizing their additions through everyone's power bills.

Bernie Sanders believes that AI data centers will never be an asset to the grid given the enormous amount of electricity they consume, despite potential savings from slowing down at peak times.

Bernie Sanders states that AI data centers have impacts on scarce water resources, cause noise pollution, and often run on fossil fuels, contributing to climate change.

Hank Green's primary fear about AI is the consolidation of power among four or five individuals who control large language models.

The US spends $1 trillion on the military, which could be used for war in Iran.

The US is the only major country not to guarantee healthcare to all its citizens.

I and I think to myself, if we spent $700 billion on housing this year, that would be a really big win.