Bostrom: Accepting some AI existential risk is rational given background perils
Nick Bostrom · Nick Bostrom: Worries About AI Existential Risk Just Became More Concrete · Aug 19, 2026 · at 36:32
Nick Bostrom explains why balancing background extinction threats and diseases against AI perils justifies proceeding with AI development.
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“Well, I think whatever we do there will be both existential risks and individual risks. So it's not as if we have a choice between avoiding risks and confronting risks. So it's looking at these different alternatives and weighing up the risks and benefits. And that would be some optimal level of risk including existential risk. That, that would still, I think, make it rational to push the, ah, the launch button.”
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