Vitalik Buterin Warns: AI Could Surpass and Destroy Humanity Without Quick Action

Vitalik Buterin, the co-founder of Ethereum, did not hesitate to wield his favorite weapon, a sharp intellect, to address the upheavals that general artificial intelligence (AGI) could provoke. He is concerned about very concrete threats, far from being mere abstractions. Among these is the ability of AGI to manipulate humans or infiltrate critical infrastructures. However, crypto, according to him, would only be a piece of a much larger puzzle.

The co-founder of Ethereum sounds the alarm about AGI

Vitalik Buterin refuses to treat AGI as a mysterious and invincible force. In his recent statements, he breaks down the five main threats posed by these superintelligent entities.

Among them: cyberattacks capable of exploiting software vulnerabilities, massive disinformation manipulating public opinion, and even digital biological agents that could trigger artificial pandemics.

That depends on the vector of AGI attack you're worried about!

It hacks you -> cyberdefense
It convinces you -> infodefense
It super-plagues you -> biodefense
It skynets you -> physical resilience (but also, cyberdefense so it doesn't take over skynet in the first place)

— vitalik.eth (@VitalikButerin) December 25, 2024

« This is not a game of chess against a 4500 ELO player », Buterin quips, reminding that a concrete analysis of risks is imperative.

Some key points he mentions:

• Cyber defense: to block digital intrusions;
• Info defense: counter mass manipulation;
• Physical resilience: to prevent the takeover of critical infrastructures;
• Bioprotection: to combat biological threats created by AI;
• Brain-computer interfaces: an ambitious bet not to be left behind.

For Buterin, blockchains and decentralized technologies, like Ethereum, could play a crucial role in strengthening data and system security in the face of these challenges.

A “crypto narrative” in service of a hybrid world

According to Vitalik, crypto is just a chapter in a much larger story combining the physical world (“atoms”) with the digital world (“bits”). In this perspective, innovations like brain-computer interfaces and low-cost construction could transform our societies, just as blockchain has revolutionized finance.

Decentralized technologies provide, according to him, powerful tools to enhance transparency and limit abuses.

<d/acc>

Everything that we are doing in crypto is only one part of a larger story. pic.twitter.com/dTlnCHQUDd

— vitalik.eth (@VitalikButerin) December 25, 2024

« Everything we do in crypto fits into a larger narrative », he states, accompanying his remarks with a complex diagram illustrating the interactions between cybersecurity, biotechnology, and digital innovation.

To build this hybrid future:

• Biotechnology promises improved healthcare and increased longevity;
• Crypto guarantees secure and transparent exchanges;
• Connected infrastructures create intelligent, yet vulnerable environments.

Buterin’s vision shows a convergence of technologies where ETH, far from being just a currency, could become a pillar of societal resilience.

In conclusion, let us not forget that even the most visionary actors, like OpenAI, can abandon their founding values, transforming a noble cause into a lucrative business. A reminder that founding values must always guide grand ambitions.