singinst.org — The Singularity Institute for Artificial Intelligence (SIAI) announced today its $400,000 Online Matching Challenge, intended to fund a research program to create an artificial general intelligence (AGI). Peter Thiel (PayPal Founder & Former CEO) has pledged to match $200,000 of donations for the project.
May 9, 2007 View in Crawl 4
mjrauhalMay 10, 2007
I've been a regular donor since the SIAI got their non-profit status, and am delighted that it has attracted rich backers for this sort of challenges. The previous challenge (also backed by Thiel) did manage to bring in half the current drive's goal, so I trust the amount isn't overly ambitious. As for the actual goal of SIAI, that surely _is_ ambitious, but SIAI is well-placed to take on the challenge.
rlpowellMay 10, 2007
I give them $200 per month, and I've done a *lot* of reading on various relevant and related topics. For my money, we need to figure out Friendly AGI *soon*, and SIAI are the best to do it.
Closed AccountMay 10, 2007
I donated $25.
scothernsMay 11, 2007
Possibly the most important project in the history of humanity. Not often you can say that and mean it literally.If you can afford donate, you should, no matter how small the amount. Do not leave this to others, do not put this off until tomorrow, YOU should donate, right now.
struldbruggMay 11, 2007
I agree human evil doesn't go away, but I think it's desirable (even necessary) to have an AGI think for itself rather than follow evil orders. And it's not just about "evil", anyway; it's perfectly possible to ruin the future by being subtly misguided. AGI is a lot more powerful than nukes. We can't afford not to get it completely right the first time.You may be right about the ethics of machine enslavement. I'm not sure. To me, it's not the main point; the main point is dangerous consequences.
surveillerMay 11, 2007
After a decade people will wonder on how could they miss the opportunity. A small amount of money at the moment can provide large help for humanity. However, the idea is yet to get credibility. Let's make this happen!
sdustMay 18, 2007
I believe that of all the most dangerous existential risks, Strong AI is the one receiving the least serious attention, by academia, media, government, individuals, etc. SIAI, with its research into Friendly-AI, is one of the extremely rare, far-seeing exceptions. We shouldn't run screaming into the hills just yet. There is still time to get this right. SIAI is beginning to settle into a strong position to help ensure that we, the living now, can achieve a wonderful future - currently only dimly glimpsed in our most beautiful dreams. However SIAI could still use the help of individual donors; its utility may be profound in the next few years, but it's still building momentum at this stage. You can contribute to that momentum now and watch the effect of your donation magnify as time goes by. Please consider making a donation to the SIAI matching challenge, even if it's only a small donation. You can add your name to the displayed list of donors; voices in support of a brighter future.