John_Maxwell_IV comments on [LINK] Strong AI Startup Raises $15M - Less Wrong

17 Post author: olalonde 21 August 2012 08:47PM

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Comment author: John_Maxwell_IV 22 August 2012 03:40:44AM *  3 points [-]

How does Thiel square this with his support of SI?

Comment author: David_Gerard 22 August 2012 11:39:14AM 11 points [-]

I assumed Thiel had enough money to throw a million here or a million there at anything he thought was interesting, and that that was what he did.

Comment author: Manfred 22 August 2012 07:46:10AM 4 points [-]

Brainstorm time!

He doesn't. Always an option.

He thinks it will have low risk of self-improving AI, and will have positive impacts directly or from innovation or from changing culture.

He thinks it will lead to earlier self-improving AI, but thinks SI will be ready.

He thinks it will lead to earlier self-improving AI, and thinks of SI as just a hedge.

Comment author: pickaxe 24 August 2012 04:14:07PM 1 point [-]

I thought Thiel donates to SI simply because Yudkowsky is his friend.

Comment author: Bruno_Coelho 24 August 2012 05:55:25PM 0 points [-]

Could influence, but to me he have strong sense with projects who are apparently radical, for scientific reasons or for academic ones.

Comment author: Athrelon 23 August 2012 01:30:05PM 0 points [-]

Maybe he trusts himself to see when things are getting risky, and having a share buys him leverage over the direction of the company.

Alternatively, he simply thinks of SIAI's stuff as important background research to have in place, but doesn't think we're anywhere near building AGI anytime soon.