History's message about regulating AI

Artificial intelligence (AI) is "summoning the demon," Elon Musk warned, continuing a great tradition of fearful warnings about new technology. In the 16th century, the Vicar of Croyden warned how Gutenberg's demonic press would destroy the faith: "'We must root out printing or printing will root us out,' the Vicar told his flock."1 Preceding Musk's invocation of the devil by a couple of centuries, an Ohio school board declared the new steam railroad technology to be "a device of Satan to lead immortal souls to hell."2 Others warned of secular effects: The passing of a steam locomotive would stop cows from grazing, hens from laying, and precipitate economic havoc as horses became extinct and hay and oats farmers went bankrupt.3 Only a few years later, demonic fears appeared once again when Samuel Morse's assistant telegraphed from Baltimore suggesting suspension of the trial of the first telegraph line. Because the city's clergy were preaching that messages by sparks could only be the work of the devil. Morse's assistant feared these invocations would incite riots to destroy the equipment.4