this post was submitted on 16 Jan 2026
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askchapo

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Can someone explain Yudkowsky to me? (hexbear.net)
submitted 3 days ago* (last edited 3 days ago) by eastbeast@hexbear.net to c/askchapo@hexbear.net
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Some otherwise very well-informed comrades of mine have invited me to an AI-related groupchat where they discuss all matters LLM but one thing that really dominates the discussions is doomerism about how we're getting Skynet any second now or how LLM's are the first step to the machine that turns our blood into paperclips.

I've studied computer science but I'm by no means an AI expert or anything. I just have a hard time seeing the development going from these glorified autocorrect functions to AGI or "real" AI or whatever.

When I bring up problems generated by "AI" in the here and now that worry me (environmental impacts, loss of jobs, the obvious bubble etc.) they agree with me, but then often pivot to AI safety issues and they mention Yudkowsky a lot. I read some of his Harry Potter fanfic a few years ago and listened to a TrueAnon episode about some futurist doomer cult or something in which his name came up, that's basically all I know about him.

Can someone explain what this dude's deal is?

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[–] Sickos@hexbear.net 13 points 3 days ago

Ok, so, eliezer yud is the bestest smartest brightest boy in the room and only he really understands the potential implications of no-mouth-must-scream. He has assembled a near-religious following and has a few select apostles who are almost-as-rational.

Your existing knowledge is sufficient to render judgement.

It's not an inherent red flag; the rationality cult implies a degree of intellectual curiosity, but the adherents tend toward the ancap side of things.