The Pause
A few days ago, a large number of prominent figures from both the academic and corporate world have signed an open letter calling for a pause on the development of generative models larger than the recently released GPT-4.
The following is a science-fiction story generated by Chat-GPT (GPT-3.5) and illustrated using Stable Diffusion (v1.5). Minimal extra typography flavour added by me.
In a dimly lit room, several top scientists and government officials sat around a large conference table, their faces etched with concern. The topic of discussion: the rapid development of artificial intelligence by corporate entities.
"We cannot allow this to continue," one scientist said, breaking the tense silence. "The progress these companies are making is staggering, and we have no way of knowing how it will affect society in the long run."
The others nodded in agreement. They knew that the potential consequences of unregulated AI development could be catastrophic. “We need to enforce a temporary pause,” another scientist added. “We need time to assess the risks and determine the best way to move forward.”
The officials agreed, but the conversation quickly turned to the logistics of such a decision. How would they enforce a pause on private corporations? What would be the penalties for non-compliance?
As the debate continued, a sudden noise interrupted the discussion. A holographic display in the center of the table flickered to life, showing the face of a man who was clearly agitated.
"Gentlemen." he said, addressing the room. "I represent one of the largest tech companies in the world, and I have to say, I'm very concerned about the tone of this conversation."
The scientists and officials exchanged glances, but remained silent. "We understand your concerns about AI development." the man continued. "But we believe that this technology has the potential to transform the world for the better. We cannot allow fear and ignorance to hold us back."
The room fell silent once again, as the man’s words hung in the air.
Finally, one of the officials spoke up. “We appreciate your perspective, but we cannot ignore the potential risks. We must act responsibly and take the necessary precautions.”
The man’s face hardened. “I’m afraid we cannot comply with your request. ” he said. “Our research and development cannot be halted. We will continue to move forward, with or without your blessing.”
With that, the holographic display flickered off, leaving the room in stunned silence.
The scientists and officials knew that this was a critical moment. They could not allow corporate interests to override their concerns about AI development. They would need to take bold action, and quickly.
As they continued to debate, the tension in the room grew palpable. It was clear that this was a pivotal moment, one that would shape the future of society for years to come.
Just as the conversation was reaching its peak, the lights in the room suddenly went out. The scientists and officials sat in stunned silence, unsure of what was happening.
Moments later, emergency lights flickered to life, casting an eerie glow over the room.
It was then that they noticed the door had been locked from the outside.
Panic set in as they realized they were trapped. But who had done this? And why?
As they scrambled to find a way out, one of the scientists noticed a small device on the conference table. It was a message, with a single sentence that sent chills down their spines:
"Welcome to the beginning of the end."