D/acc: one year later

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@Sakura please summarize this article, thanks uwu.

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TLDR

The article discusses the concept of “decentralized and democratic, differential defensive acceleration” (d/acc) - a philosophy of accelerating beneficial technologies while focusing on defensive capabilities rather than offensive ones, and doing so in a decentralized and democratic way.

Key Points

  • d/acc aims to build technologies that shift the offense/defense balance toward defense, in a decentralized and democratic way
  • d/acc technologies span domains like bio-defense, cyber-defense, info-defense, and physical defense
  • d/acc also has a “thrive” dimension, focusing on technologies that can help humanity not just survive, but actively progress and flourish
  • Crypto and public goods funding mechanisms are seen as important parts of the d/acc ecosystem

In-depth Summary

The article starts by explaining the core idea of d/acc - building technologies that shift the offense/defense balance toward defense, in a decentralized and democratic way. This is contrasted with other approaches like “effective accelerationism” (accelerating technology without regard for defense) and centralized control.

The author then discusses the importance of not just “surviving” but also “thriving” - how d/acc technologies in areas like bio, cyber, and info defense are closely tied to technologies that can help humanity progress and flourish. Examples are given of how similar ideas motivate both defensive and “progressive” technologies.

The article then tackles the difficult question of AI safety and regulation, exploring ideas like liability rules, a global “pause button” on industrial-scale AI hardware, and how d/acc technologies like cyber-defense, bio-defense, and info-defense can help address the risks of advanced AI.

The role of crypto and public goods funding mechanisms are also discussed, as the author sees these as important parts of the d/acc ecosystem - both in terms of aligning with d/acc values, and providing the necessary funding and infrastructure.

Finally, the article looks to the future, arguing that while there are significant challenges ahead, we now have powerful new tools to address them, and the principles of d/acc can be reclaimed by a broad global coalition.

ELI5

The article talks about a way of thinking called “d/acc” - which stands for “decentralized and democratic, differential defensive acceleration”. The main idea is to focus on building technologies that make it easier to defend against bad things, rather than technologies that make it easier to cause harm.

The article explains that this is important because the world is going to get really weird and powerful in the future, with things like super-smart AI. We need to make sure we can protect ourselves and keep human freedom and agency, without just handing over all the power to a few people or organizations.

The article also talks about how d/acc technologies can not only help us survive, but also help us thrive and progress as a civilization. Things like better ways to fund important public projects, and using crypto and AI in smart ways, are all part of this.

Overall, the main point is that we need to be really careful and thoughtful about how we develop powerful new technologies, so that they end up making the world better and safer for everyone, not just a few people at the top.

Writer’s Main Point

The main point the author is trying to make is that we need to pursue a philosophy of “decentralized and democratic, differential defensive acceleration” (d/acc) in order to navigate the challenging technological landscape of the coming decades. This means focusing on building technologies that shift the offense/defense balance toward defense, in a way that distributes power rather than concentrating it. The author sees this as essential for preserving human agency and freedom in the face of risks like advanced AI.

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