--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Science fiction has done a really good…" description: "\"Science fiction has done a really good job of scaring us into thinking that computers shouldn't get too smart, because as soon as they get really smart..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a4a/luis-von-ahn-19198_because_science-fiction-has-done-a-really-good-j_2967618.png" --- # Science fiction has done a really good job of scaring us… ![“Science fiction has done a really good job of scaring us into thinking that computers shouldn't get too smart, because as soon as they get really smart, they're going to take over the world and kill us, or something like that. But why would they do that?” quote by Luis von Ahn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a4a/luis-von-ahn-19198_because_science-fiction-has-done-a-really-good-j_2967618.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a4a/luis-von-ahn-19198_because_science-fiction-has-done-a-really-good-j_2967618.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a4a/luis-von-ahn-19198_because_science-fiction-has-done-a-really-good-j_2967618.png) > “Science fiction has done a really good job of scaring us into thinking that computers shouldn't get too smart, because as soon as they get really smart, they're going to take over the world and kill us, or something like that. But why would they do that?” [Luis von Ahn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luis-von-ahn/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He warns that fear of super‑intelligent AI may be exaggerated; why would they harm us? **In simple terms:** Questioning AI threat narratives. Key Takeaway Critically assess AI risks. Themes technology ethics future Mood analytical cautious Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - policy making - AI development - public education Key Concepts Existential risk control problem Questions to Reflect On - What safeguards are needed? - How do we ensure beneficial AI? A Different Perspective AI could still pose unforeseen dangers. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Computers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/computers/) [Fiction](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fiction/) [Job](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/job/) [Science](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/science/) [Science fiction](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/science-fiction/) [Smart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/smart/) [Technology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/technology/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) ## Related quotes > [Computers shouldn't be unusable. You don't need to know how to work a telephone switch to make a phone call, or how to use…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-mcnealy/computers-shouldn-t-be-unusable-you-don-t-need-to-know-how-to-work-a/) [Scott McNealy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-mcnealy/) > [I am thinking about something much more important than bombs. I am thinking about computers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-von-neumann/i-am-thinking-about-something-much-more-important-than-bombs-i-am/) [John von Neumann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-von-neumann/) > [My philosophy involves imaging terrible things happening all the time, and getting used to it, so reality isn't so bad. And then you're always…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-sweeney/my-philosophy-involves-imaging-terrible-things-happening-all-the-time/) [Julia Sweeney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-sweeney/) > [I'm afraid of pretty much everything, but there's something inside me that is addicted to scaring myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gina-carano/i-m-afraid-of-pretty-much-everything-but-there-s-something-inside-me/) [Gina Carano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gina-carano/) > [There's something really cool about scaring children. Traumatize a generation, that's what it's all about.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-moffat/there-s-something-really-cool-about-scaring-children-traumatize-a/) [Steven Moffat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-moffat/) > [“When you cannot reason with people, you have to try scaring them. If that doesn’t work, then you either run or you kill them.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-hearne/when-you-cannot-reason-with-people-you-have-to-try-scaring-them-if/) [Kevin Hearne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-hearne/) > [I enjoy scaring people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-horowitz/i-enjoy-scaring-people/) [Anthony Horowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-horowitz/) > [“Don't entertain fear; it does not entertain you either; it only scares you!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/israelmore-ayivor/don-t-entertain-fear-it-does-not-entertain-you-either-it-only-scares/) [Israelmore Ayivor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/israelmore-ayivor/) > [“Holding her breath, she stepped out, heading for the better-illuminated section of the room. Hard hands closed about her upper arms. She started-very nearly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephanie-laurens/holding-her-breath-she-stepped-out-heading-for-the-better-illuminated/) [Stephanie Laurens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephanie-laurens/) > [I'd like to thank the Royal Marines for bringing me in like that and scaring the shit out of me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-craig/i-d-like-to-thank-the-royal-marines-for-bringing-me-in-like-that-and/) [Daniel Craig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-craig/) > [I enjoy scaring people too much to let it go!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-marshall/i-enjoy-scaring-people-too-much-to-let-it-go/) [Neil Marshall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-marshall/) > [“The day I stop scaring you is the day you should leave me.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orest-stelmach/the-day-i-stop-scaring-you-is-the-day-you-should-leave-me/) [Orest Stelmach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orest-stelmach/) > [I want to do things where the talent range is difficult and that scare me. I thrive on that; if it's not scaring me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nina-dobrev/i-want-to-do-things-where-the-talent-range-is-difficult-and-that/) [Nina Dobrev](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nina-dobrev/) > [What if it turns out there really are witches and vampires and werewolves living right here alongside us? After all, what better disguise could…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sergei-lukyanenko/what-if-it-turns-out-there-really-are-witches-and-vampires-and/) [Sergei Lukyanenko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sergei-lukyanenko/) > [Thinking without scaring is make people good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aziz-nesin/thinking-without-scaring-is-make-people-good/) Aziz Nesin ## More by Luis von Ahn > [Our team at Duolingo is really cohesive, but this did not just happen. I made a concerted effort to hire people who are going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luis-von-ahn/our-team-at-duolingo-is-really-cohesive-but-this-did-not-just-happen/) [Luis von Ahn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luis-von-ahn/) > [I am always able to keep a laser focus on one thing at a time without getting distracted. It helps that I try to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luis-von-ahn/i-am-always-able-to-keep-a-laser-focus-on-one-thing-at-a-time-without/) [Luis von Ahn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luis-von-ahn/) > [If you get asked to do something that would take place down the road (say you get asked to speak at a conference that's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luis-von-ahn/if-you-get-asked-to-do-something-that-would-take-place-down-the-road/) [Luis von Ahn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luis-von-ahn/) > [People are good at figuring out what's attractive, and computers are good at quickly searching and finding. You put them together, and bang!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luis-von-ahn/people-are-good-at-figuring-out-what-s-attractive-and-computers-are/) [Luis von Ahn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luis-von-ahn/) > [In 2011, after spending a couple of years working at Google, I decided that I wanted to dedicate myself to helping to transform education.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luis-von-ahn/in-2011-after-spending-a-couple-of-years-working-at-google-i-decided/) [Luis von Ahn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luis-von-ahn/) > [I watch a lot of TV. That's how I spend most of my time outside of work. If I had more time, I would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luis-von-ahn/i-watch-a-lot-of-tv-that-s-how-i-spend-most-of-my-time-outside-of/) [Luis von Ahn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luis-von-ahn/) > [My first computer was a Commodore 64. I got it as a present from my mom when I was eight years old, and all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luis-von-ahn/my-first-computer-was-a-commodore-64-i-got-it-as-a-present-from-my/) [Luis von Ahn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luis-von-ahn/) > [Basically, I want to make all of humanity more efficient by exploiting the human cycles that get wasted.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luis-von-ahn/basically-i-want-to-make-all-of-humanity-more-efficient-by-exploiting/) [Luis von Ahn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luis-von-ahn/) > [I worked on a number of projects that were used by millions of people and that also served as inspiration to what we now…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luis-von-ahn/i-worked-on-a-number-of-projects-that-were-used-by-millions-of-people/) [Luis von Ahn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luis-von-ahn/) > [Am I a slacker? I can be a slacker. When I was in college, most people got summer jobs for college or did research…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luis-von-ahn/am-i-a-slacker-i-can-be-a-slacker-when-i-was-in-college-most-people/) [Luis von Ahn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luis-von-ahn/) > [I co-founded Duolingo with the mission of bringing free language education to the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luis-von-ahn/i-co-founded-duolingo-with-the-mission-of-bringing-free-language/) [Luis von Ahn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luis-von-ahn/) > [My ultimate research goal is to transform our human existence to just eating, sleeping, drinking, playing - nevermind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luis-von-ahn/my-ultimate-research-goal-is-to-transform-our-human-existence-to-just/) [Luis von Ahn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luis-von-ahn/) > [ The question that motivates my research is, if we can put a man on the Moon with 100,000 \[people\], what can we do with 100 million? ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luis-von-ahn/the-question-that-motivates-my-research-is-if-we-can-put-a-man-on-the/) [Luis von Ahn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luis-von-ahn/) > [I am an early riser, and always wake up between 5 and 6am.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luis-von-ahn/i-am-an-early-riser-and-always-wake-up-between-5-and-6am/) [Luis von Ahn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luis-von-ahn/) > [Before the Internet, coordinating more than 100,000 people, let alone paying them, was essentially impossible. But now with the Internet, I've just shown you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luis-von-ahn/before-the-internet-coordinating-more-than-100-000-people-let-alone/) [Luis von Ahn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luis-von-ahn/) [Explore all 33 Luis von Ahn quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luis-von-ahn/) ## More Because quotes > [One is a painter because one wants so-called freedom; one doesn't want to go to the office every morning.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcel-duchamp/one-is-a-painter-because-one-wants-so-called-freedom-one-doesn-t-want/) [Marcel Duchamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcel-duchamp/) > [I gave my archive to Emory University because there's a really dear friend who teaches there, Rudolph Byrd, and he's the editor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-walker/i-gave-my-archive-to-emory-university-because-there-s-a-really-dear/) [Alice Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-walker/) > [Because of the womb being a central phenomenon in the feminine body, the whole psychology of woman differs: she is non-aggressive, non-inquiring, non-questioning, non-doubting,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rajneesh/because-of-the-womb-being-a-central-phenomenon-in-the-feminine-body/) [Rajneesh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rajneesh/) > [I love casting against type and doing things you wouldn't expect, because I think you get more interesting performances that way. 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I like to bang the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elmore-leonard/it-took-me-20-years-to-buy-an-electric-typewriter-because-i-was/) [Elmore Leonard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elmore-leonard/) > [I was also known as Frodo because I was an early adopter of 'The Lord of the Rings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-perrotta/i-was-also-known-as-frodo-because-i-was-an-early-adopter-of-the-lord/) [Tom Perrotta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-perrotta/) > [I believe in taxation and health care that is outside the usual libertarian mandate, because I don't want people to have to suffer. It's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-peart/i-believe-in-taxation-and-health-care-that-is-outside-the-usual/) [Neil Peart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-peart/) > [It's like saying French shouldn't be taught because you don't understand it because it's new. Shakespeare is just like learning a new, exciting language.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-barnett/it-s-like-saying-french-shouldn-t-be-taught-because-you-don-t/) [Samuel Barnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-barnett/) > [Whether it was Little League or playing with your brothers or sisters, that was always a problem. If I would lose - because I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cal-ripken-jr/whether-it-was-little-league-or-playing-with-your-brothers-or-sisters/) [Cal Ripken, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cal-ripken-jr/) > [Sometimes, when full and in fear that I will continue to eat unwanted food just because it's staring at me, I will place my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-nichols/sometimes-when-full-and-in-fear-that-i-will-continue-to-eat-unwanted/) [Rachel Nichols](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-nichols/) > [I didn't want to do 'Fashion Police' because I thought, 'This is stupid, this is beneath me, who wants to talk about fashion?' 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