Adrian Tchaikovsky, the science fiction writer, is a master at crafting bleak, hellish future worlds. In Service Model, he has truly outdone himself, conjuring an absurd realm where human societies have crumbled, and humanity teeters on the brink of extinction.

Now, that scenario isn't entirely novel. But what renders the book both tear-inducing and hilarious, is the presence in this world of numerous sophisticated robots, designed to eliminate the slightest discomfort from human existence. Yet, they adhere so strictly to their programmed rules, that it only leads to endless absurdities, and meaningless ordeals for both robots and humans alike.

Science fiction writers, effective altruists, and Silicon Valley billionaires have long cautioned, that the rise of sentient, super-human artificial intelligence might herald the downfall of our own species. However, Tchaikovsky suggests a different, perhaps more mundane, and even more depressing scenario. He proposes that precisely because robots, no matter how advanced, lack free will, and cannot exercise their own volition in decision-making, they will not only fail to rescue us from impending environmental, political, and economic crises, but they will also be incapable of replacing us, by creating a better world of their own.

And, I believe, that is Tchaikovsky's final warning to humanity. I hope that future historians, if they still exist --- since there aren't any left in Service Model --- will regard him as a mere novelist, one who tries to capitalise on the general unease concerning advancements in artificial intelligence. Yet, I fear he may indeed be onto something.

I see. Thank you!

Hmm. I don't see this in the Events page. Does anyone know why?

The only scenario where this could happen is if all of these people went completely untreated, which means that no local government would come in at any stage. This scenario is impossible

Can you elaborate why this is impossible, or at least unlikely?

More USAID staff ousted after Trump administration dismantles aid agency (Reuters) --- https://neuters.de/world/us/more-usaid-staff-ousted-trump-administration-dismantles-aid-agency-2025-02-02/

I also created a much shorter FAQ https://dku-plant-futures.github.io/faq/

Nicely written. Though my feeling with discussing why I am a vegetarian often shows that people are not really interested in knowing what's really going on. Perhaps being willingly ignorant can offer some sort of comfort.

Here's a skeptical take of o3 from a professional mathematician https://xenaproject.wordpress.com/2024/12/22/can-ai-do-maths-yet-thoughts-from-a-mathematician/

Do anyone know about a good source for the impact of factory farming on climate? Something like this post, concise yet comprehensive.

Thanks for listening. LLM indeed makes things up. 😃