Books Quote by Nick Bostrom
““I think that the alternative views that have been presented in the literature are substantially worse—including the default view, or “null hypothesis,” according to which we can for the time being safely or reasonably ignore the prospect of superintelligence.””
About This Quote
Source Book: Superintelligence: Paths, Dangers, Strategies by Nick Bostrom, 2014
We should treat the default assumption that superintelligence is unlikely as a null hypothesis, because alternative theories are even less credible.
In simple terms: Ignore superintelligence at your peril; alternatives are worse.
Key Takeaway
Question the null hypothesis about AI risk.
Themes
AI risk
philosophy
uncertainty
future studies
Mood
cautious
analytical
Type
ethical
strategic
When to use this quote
- strategic planning
- research funding
- public discourse
- regulatory frameworks
Key Concepts
Existential risk
probability assessment
policy making
Questions to Reflect On
- How do we balance caution with evidence when assessing AI futures?
- What policies can mitigate unknown AI risks?
A Different Perspective
Alternative models may be flawed, but dismissing the risk entirely leaves us unprepared.
![“[Coining phrase "null hypothesis"] In relation to any experiment we may speak of this hypothesis as the "null hypothesis," and it should be noted that the null hypothesis is never proved or established, but is possibly disproved, in the course of experimentation. Every experiment may be said to…” quote by Ronald Fisher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/981/ronald-fisher-14852_chance_coining-phrase-null-hypothesis-in-relati_2778722.jpg)
![“There is more scholarly work on the life-habits of the dung fly than on existential risks [to humanity].” quote by Nick Bostrom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/8d3/nick-bostrom-10771_life_there-is-more-scholarly-work-on-the-life_560392.jpg)
