In our polarized era, there are fewer and fewer spaces where people who disagree can do so productively and in good faith. The Dispatch’s Debate Series aims to be an outlier: a regular feature where two writers with opposing views can hash out some of the thorniest political and cultural issues roiling the national conversation. If you have an idea for a future topic, please let us know at debates@thedispatch.com.
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Calls to ban the development of superintelligence have gained traction among some technologists, pundits, and even a few policymakers. They argue that an artificial intelligence system so powerful that it could outthink humans would pose an existential threat to civilization. But this idea rests on unsubstantiated fears, not evidence.
