Hanson and then you posted a link to AAAI Panel on Long-term AI Futures (also discussed here).
From "Interim Report" (Aug 2009):
The group suggested outreach and communication to people and organizations about the low likelihood of the radical outcomes, sharing the rationale for the overall comfort of scientists in this realm, and for the need to educate people outside the AI research community about the promise of AI for enhancing the quality of human life in numerous ways, coupled with a re-focusing of attention on actionable, shorter-term challenges.
AAAI ex-president, Eric Horvitz seems ambivalent here:
Horvitz doubts that one of these virtual receptionists could ever lead to something that takes over the world. He says that's like expecting a kite to evolve into a 747 on its own.
So does that mean he thinks the singularity is ridiculous?
Mr. HORVITZ: Well, no. I think there's been a mix of views, and I have to say that I have mixed feelings myself.
Better late than never, a new open thread. Even with the discussion section, there are ideas or questions too short or inchoate to be worth a post.
This thread is for the discussion of Less Wrong topics that have not appeared in recent posts. If a discussion gets unwieldy, celebrate by turning it into a top-level post.