Conclusions, Declaration of competing interest, Acknowledgements, and References

Table of Links

Abstract and 1 Introduction

2. The threat posed by AI to all technical civilisations
3. Multiplanetary mitigating strategies and technology progression
4. Timescales and confrontation with the data
5. AI regulation
6. Conclusions, Declaration of competing interest, Acknowledgements, and References

6. Conclusions

The rapid development of AI presents a formidable challenge to the survival and longevity of advanced technical civilisations, not only on Earth but potentially throughout the cosmos. The pace at which AI is advancing is without historical parallel, and there is a real possibility that AI could achieve a level of superintelligence within a few decades. The development of ASI is likely to happen well before humankind manages to establish a resilient and enduring multiplanetary presence in our solar system. This disparity in the rate of progress between these two technological frontiers is a pattern that we can expect to be repeated across all emerging technical civilizations. This raises questions about the inevitability of civilisations unwittingly triggering calamitous events that lead to the demise of both a biological and post biological technical civilisation. The potential of ASI to serve as a "Great Filter" compels us to consider its role in the broader context of our civilization's future and its implications for life throughout the galaxy. If ASI limits the communicative lifespan of advanced civilizations to a few hundred years, then only a handful of communicating civilisations are likely to be concurrently present in the Milky Way. This is not inconsistent with the null results obtained from current SETI surveys and other efforts to detect techno signatures across the electromagnetic spectrum.

If SETI also serves as a lens through which we can examine our own technological trajectory and societal challenges, the urgency of establishing comprehensive global AI regulations cannot be overstated. It behoves us to engage with these issues proactively, to develop and enforce prudent regulatory measures, and to strive for a balance between harnessing the benefits of AI and safeguarding against the existential risks it may pose. As we stand on the precipice of a new era in technological evolution, the actions we take now will determine the trajectory of our civilization for decades to come. The implied longevity timescales for the scenarios described here (approximately 100-200 years), underscores the necessity for our own technical civilization to intensify efforts to control and regulate AI. The continued presence of consciousness in the universe may depend on the success of strict global regulatory measures.

Declaration of competing interest

The author declares that he has no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper.

Acknowledgements

I’d like to thank the referee for very useful comments on the original submission. This research did not receive any specific grant from funding agencies in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors.

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