Concerns raised over the 'dangerous' ideology shaping AI debate

Silicon Valley's favorite philosophy, long-termism, has helped to frame the debate on artificial intelligence around the idea of human extinction. The approach prioritizes taking action in the present to improve the distant future and reduce long-term risks, potentially at the expense of addressing more immediate problems. But increasingly vocal critics are warning that the philosophy is dangerous, and the obsession with extinction distracts from real problems associated with AI, like data theft and biased algorithms.