Is it my age, or simply fear of the unknown?

I have been looking at AI as a development that would attract huge investment capital (which it has), leading to a massive uptick in global productivity. The productivity gains from AI would contribute to an increase in global economic growth, pulling lower- and middle-income families into more prosperous territory. This would make the world a better place to live.

Having said this—and certainly wanting to believe this will be the outcome—I found myself lying awake the other night wondering if I will “survive” AI. And even if I manage to slip by, are my children and their children doomed?

This is a seismic mindset shift for a person who is increasingly using the likes of Gemini (Google) and ChatGPT to enhance his own productivity, both personally and professionally. Can things really get that bad?

What pushed me over the edge is a post by Anthropic researcher Evan Hubinger on X a couple of week ago:

After Mr. Hubinger provided his two cents on X, the debate amongst “AI experts” began in earnest.  It positions those who want guardrails on the development of AI against those who believe such guardrails would slow its evolution and put the world’s leader in AI development (the US) at a disadvantage.

I am trying to convince myself that these “gloom and doom” stories are probably nothing more than a storm in a teacup—grabbing headlines but, in reality, having little substance. After all, maybe political leaders are correct when they claim that existential concerns over AI are overblown.   President Trump has been emphatic is saying AI concerns are a “hoax”, adding that the only regulation needed is a “strong & smart (high IQ) President, and the USA has that in spades.”

However, lending little credibility to the standard political rhetoric, and hearing more frequently about AI infiltrating every facet of life, I have to admit that the crescendo of doomsday scenarios is stressing me out. I think guardrails need to be developed, not to slow the evolution of AI, but to ensure that it does not become increasingly troublesome to mankind, eventually even going rogue. After all, once the genie is out of the bottle, it cannot be put back.

Maybe this is just a lazy Sunday afternoon meltdown, but I’m not liking the negative vibe around AI one bit. I use AI frequently, and wonder what life would be like now without it.

Still, it leaves me wondering about the point of it all. Why write about investment ideas and portfolio construction if we are all doomed anyway? AI destroying mankind certainly shortens the investment horizon!