“Unbridled enthusiasm” for AI technology shows no signs of stopping… but at what cost?
In April, the UK artificial intelligence research lab DeepMind published a 145-page paper warning that AGI—artificial general intelligence that can perform any conceptual task equal or better than humans—isn’t a far-off sci-fi fantasy, but rather, a near-term reality. As in, it will be here by “2030” and “could permanently destroy humanity” (April 5 Fortune).
But it’s not because robots themselves are evil.
It’s because the humans creating them are rushing the timeline and putting egos above accountability. The paper emphasized the lack of “misuse prevention” and “safety monitoring” systems that would oversee AGI’s development.
Confirmed a May 14 CNN piece: “AI research takes a backseat to profits as Silicon Valley prioritizes products over safety, experts say.”
Here, our May 2025 Socionomistcover story “Good Tech/Bad Tech: Social Mood Governs the Intensity and Character of Technological Development” by Chuck Thompson identifies the single-most important indicator of how technology will impact our collective future. From Thompson’s report:
Technology: Helper or Dominator?
The December 2014 issue of The Socionomist observed that social mood drives how people react to technological developments. If mood is positive, then researchers and society will likely be confident and optimistic about the future, resulting in technologies that improve their lives, including their affluence and comfort. If mood is negative, then researchers and society will likely be fearful and pessimistic about the future, resulting in technologies that promote domination and survival, such as weapons.
Benefits duly noted, not all technological development today improves people’s lives. As Figure 4 shows, Russia and Ukraine have been in long-term bear markets. The two countries have been at war for three years, and they have channeled their innovative thinking into producing more advanced weapons.
Purchase the May 2025 Socionomist today, and read the full cover story “Good Tech/Bad Tech: Social Mood Governs the Intensity and Character of Technological Development” — along with a deeply thoughtful study into how social mood enabled the unfolding of one of the most horrific periods in South America’s history: “Operation Condor.”