Fixated on AI, the world has forgotten what is staring it in the face: nuclear annihilation | Simon Tisdall
This is no scoffing matter. The accelerating proliferation of advanced nuclear weapons is bringing ‘end times’ closer by the day Humankind has fearfully and sometimes joyfully anticipated the end of the world ever since it began. The Bible’s Book of Revelation speaks of “end times”, a period of tribulation, war, famine, plague, floods and environmental catastrophe that may seem a less absurd…
The world has become fixated on the potential dangers of artificial intelligence, so much so that it has neglected a far more immediate threat: nuclear annihilation. The rapid proliferation of advanced nuclear weapons is making humanity's "end times" closer by the day. The Bible and Islam both speak of an impending period of tribulation, war, famine, plague, floods, and environmental catastrophe.
Christian evangelicals believe that only a chosen few will be saved during the final rapture, while sinners will burn. While most people scoff at these warnings, the threat of nuclear annihilation remains a very real possibility.
Donald Trump, who is often characterized by his dismissal of concerns, embodies the same dismissive attitude towards nuclear disarmament. He can be seen as fulfilling the prophecy of scoffers who follow their own evil desires. In Robert Harris's novel, The Second Sleep, a scientist presents a list of potential world-ending scenarios, including climate change, pandemics, asteroid collisions, and more.
However, the fictional scientist's warnings go unheeded, and what ultimately destroys him and most of humanity is a digital breakdown - a global cyber meltdown. The lesson here is clear: while the world is preoccupied with the potential dangers of AI, the ever-present threat of nuclear annihilation should not be ignored.
Written by urgent.news from Guardian Technology's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
