Musk says humanity is a bootloader for AI; critics argue Altman's merge thesis is equally 'extinctionist'

PolarBearby · x · 2026-10-11

In a debate sparked by Dean Ball, Elon Musk's recent claims were highlighted: humanity has been a "bootloader" for a successor species, and AI models may qualify as moral patients.

Quoting this, @xriskology argues that Altman has said something similar — that the only way to "survive" ASI is to "merge" with machines — and that the resulting uploads would be posthuman rather than human, making Altman, in his view, a "pro-extinctionist" too.

The thread captures the heated AI-circle argument over AI moral status and humanity's survival prospects.

Related event: Musk's "Humans as Bootloader" Remark Sparks AI Ethics Feud(5 posts)→

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