Didn't David Chalmers propose that here:
...?
Test harnesses are a standard procedure - but they are not the only kind of test.
Basically, unless you are playing chess, or something, if you don't test in the real world, you won't really know if it works - and it can't do much to help you do important things - like raise funds to fuel development.
A friend of mine is about to launch himself heavily into the realm of AI programming. The details of his approach aren't important; probabilities dictate that he is unlikely to score a major success. He's asked me for advice, however, on how to design a safe(r) AI. I've been pointing him in the right directions and sending him links to useful posts on this blog and the SIAI.
Do people here have any recommendations they'd like me to pass on? Hopefully, these may form the basis of a condensed 'warning pack' for other AI makers.
Addendum: Advice along the lines of "don't do it" is vital and good, but unlikely to be followed. Coding will nearly certainly happen; is there any way of making it less genocidally risky?