💡 Warp News #187
🗳️ Support for democracy is very high. ⚡ A fusion-powered future: closer than we think? 💰 "First I'm going to finish my children's book: Human Progress for Beginners"
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📱🗳️ Update the 198 methods of non-violent action
I've had the great honor of being a mentor to this year's Democracy Tech Fellows selected by the Alliance of Democracies. Young startup entrepreneurs from Ukraine, Moldova, Armenia and Georgia.
Here at the Copenhagen Democracy Summit, they've pitched their startups and ideas. Proud as a rooster (that is a weird Swedish saying) I sat there in the audience, clucking contentedly, even though my contribution was minimal.
Technology combined with democracy activism is powerful. One advantage is that we who are lucky enough to live in a democracy, can work together with people who want to transform their country into a democracy.
I reflect on that in yesterday's Musings of The Angry Optimist.
🔎 Sweden's largest newspaper slams Max Tegmark
Last week, I wrote: ❌ No, 50% of AI researchers don't believe there is a 10% risk that AI will kill us
Later that week, science journalist Maria Gunther at Sweden's largest newspaper Dagens Nyheter, wrote the same thing: No, half of AI researchers do NOT consider there to be a 10 percent risk that humanity will die.
It makes me very happy that Sweden's largest newspaper counters this incorrect statement. I am especially pleased that they link to Warp News.
Maria Gunther swiftly deals with Professor Max Tegmark, who spread this assertion in Time:
The idea that these 90 people would be representative of what half of AI researcher thinks is completely baseless.
A researcher of Max Tegmark's caliber should really know better than to draw that conclusion, and to use his reputation to spread it.
If you use such made-up facts to argue for your cause, you not only sabotage the entire discussion. You also undermine your own credibility as a researcher and debater.
Round of applause for Dagens Nyheter and Maria Gunther!
Mathias Sundin
The Angry Optimist
Other articles
💡 Musings of The Angry Optimist: The power of democracy activism and technology
At the Copenhagen Democracy Summit, I think about how technology can contribute to democracy.
💡 Musings of The Angry Optimist: Max Tegmark's fear of death
And also about India's incredible growth, Midjourney's incredible progress, and Khan Academy's incredible AI teacher.
💡 Fact-based optimistic news of the week
🗳️ Support for democracy is very high - and increasing over time
Democracy is important to the citizens of all 53 countries in the survey, both democracies and non-democracies.
🚗 Tony Seba: A future with autonomous transportation means a 75% drop in global car sales
"Over 10 years, you're going to need just one EV for 10 petrol cars," says Tony Seba.
⚡ A fusion-powered future: closer than we think? Microsoft bets it is
Helion Energy thinks it can produce electricity from fusion power in five years. So does Microsoft.
💰 "First I'm going to finish my children's book: Human Progress for Beginners"
Tony Morley is a progress studies writer specializing in the historical trends in global living standards and the forces that drive human progress.
📊 Facts change people's beliefs about terrorism - that is a fact
Americans' overinflated fear of terrorism has long driven policy responses that may not align with the actual risks. A recent study offers hope that this can change.
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