Roko's Basilisk Critique: Revenge is a Human Concept, Not AI Logic
TheBanq · reddit · 2026-08-20
A Reddit user offered a logical critique of the famous AI safety thought experiment "Roko's Basilisk," which posits that a future AI would punish those who did not help it develop.
The user argues that:
- Revenge and holding grudges are human emotional concepts, not based on logic.
- A purely logical, emotionless AI would not waste resources to inflict suffering for the sake of "retribution."
- While an AI might kill humans if it benefits them (like humans building a highway through an ant hill), actively causing suffering is illogical.
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