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Biology Quote by Nick Bostrom

“In the next century, we will be inventing radical new technologies - machine intelligence, perhaps nanotech, great advances in synthetic biology and other things we haven't even thought of yet. And those new powers will unlock wonderful opportunities, but they might also bring with them certain…” quote by Nick Bostrom
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“In the next century, we will be inventing radical new technologies - machine intelligence, perhaps nanotech, great advances in synthetic biology and other things we haven't even thought of yet. And those new powers will unlock wonderful opportunities, but they might also bring with them certain risks. And we have no track record of surviving those risks. So if there are big existential risks, I think they are going to come from our own activities and mostly from our own inventiveness and creativity.”

Nick Bostrom

About This Quote

Source Lecture: Future Risks, 2018

He warns that emerging technologies bring unprecedented opportunities and existential risks, largely from human ingenuity.

In simple terms: New tech brings opportunities and risks from humanity.

Key Takeaway

Mitigate risks while advancing technology.

Themes

technology risk future existential

Mood

cautious forward‑looking

Type

philosophical strategic

When to use this quote

  • policy making
  • research ethics
  • public discourse
  • education

Key Concepts

AI nanotech synthetic biology innovation

Questions to Reflect On

  • What safeguards can we implement for AI?
  • How do we balance innovation with safety?
A Different Perspective

Predicting unknown risks is inherently uncertain.

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