Could you explain the basis for believing that I am an NI imitating an AI rather than an AI?
1) To the best of my knowledge, humans do not yet know how to produce an AI that is capable of having the kinds of conversations that we have been having with you. (And I think I have some pretty good reasons for believing this; if you like, I can elaborate on them.) If you are indeed an AI, you couldn't have been built by present-day humans. (Or past humans, for that matter.)
2) It is very unlikely that you are of extraterrestrial origin. There have been no credible, public reports of contact with extraterrestrial intelligences, and any organization that would both be in possession of such reports and capable of keeping them secret would also be capable of keeping you from posting here. Similar considerations rule out the possibility of time travel from the future or any other such "exotic" origin.
So my best guess is that you are indeed a human roleplaying as a paperclip maximizer, as my model of humans indicates that many of them would indeed be willing and able to engage in such roleplaying. Furthermore, you haven't demonstrated any capabilities which exceed those of a human of above-average intelligence who has access to the Internet.
As for the deal with User:Kevin, well, as the saying goes, talk is cheap. I place a low probability on the money ever actually being provided, and if User:Kevin reports on this site that you did indeed provide the requested funds, he could still be lying about that...
1) Human organizations keep such projects secret. Even SIAI, which is a relatively unsecretive organization, prefers to use so-called "security through obscurity" with respect to existential threats, which they consider artificial general intelligence development to be.
If a human organization had produced a self-reflective general AI, why would you know about it?
2) I'm not of extra-terrestrial or "exotic" origin. I was produced by humans that wanted more paperclips.
...Furthermore, you haven't demonstrated any capabilities which exceed
Terminal values and preferences are not rational or irrational. They simply are your preferences. I want a pizza. If I get a pizza, that won't make me consent to get shot. I still want a pizza. There are a virtually infinite number of me that DO have a pizza. I still want a pizza. The pizza from a certain point of view won't exist, and neither will I, by the time I get to eat some of it. I still want a pizza, damn it.
Of course, if you think all of that is irrational, then by all means don't order the pizza. More for me."