Daniel Kokotajlo challenges AI-skeptic 'missing factor F' arguments: every past bottleneck claim fell fast

DKokotajlo · x · 2026-11-12

Daniel Kokotajlo weighs in on the debate over what factor F might still block full AI R&D automation. He concedes such a factor could exist, but points to a long history of candidates being disproven quickly.

Examples: people once said LLMs lacked common-sense world-understanding; later, genuinely novel contributions; now, research taste — yet evidence suggests research taste is already improving rapidly.

He challenges his interlocutor to name one specific candidate F and argue it is necessary and years away, questioning whether creativity, research vision, or planning ability are serious candidates.

Related event: Debate Rages Over What Factor LLMs Still Lack for Full R&D Automation(3 posts)→

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