The Man Who Invented AGI: Mark Gubrud's Warning
In a small cabin in Colorado, Mark Gubrud sips his tea and reminisces about the summer of 1956. It was then that a group of academics gathered at Dartmouth College to discuss how machines could think like humans. One of them, John McCarthy, coined the term "artificial intelligence." However, what few people know is that another individual, Mark Gubrud, came up with the phrase "artificial general intelligence" in 1997.
Gubrud's work was focused on nanotechnology and its dangers as a tool for warfare. He warned that breakthrough technologies would redefine international conflicts, potentially leading to catastrophic consequences. His paper, published at the Fifth Foresight Conference on Molecular Nanotechnology, discussed advanced AI as part of these emerging threats. The term "artificial general intelligence" was new, but Gubrud's definition still stands today.
In 2002, a group of researchers including Ben Goertzel and Shane Legg began using the phrase "artificial general intelligence." They were drawn to it because it better described their vision of AI surpassing human intelligence in breadth. Legg attributes the term to him, saying he suggested using "general" to describe AI that could perform any task a human could.
The origin of AGI is not as well-known as the concept itself, but Gubrud's contribution has been vindicated by its widespread adoption today. While his own work was largely overlooked, he has become an unlikely champion for his ideas on the dangers of advanced technologies. As the world becomes increasingly reliant on AI, Gubrud's warnings about its potential misuse serve as a reminder that even the most seemingly utopian advancements can have dark consequences.
"I will accept the credit for the first citation," Gubrud says with a hint of humility, "and give them credit for a lot of other work that I didn't do." His legacy lies not in fame or fortune but in giving a name to a concept that has taken over the world – and perhaps saving humanity from its own potential pitfalls.
In a small cabin in Colorado, Mark Gubrud sips his tea and reminisces about the summer of 1956. It was then that a group of academics gathered at Dartmouth College to discuss how machines could think like humans. One of them, John McCarthy, coined the term "artificial intelligence." However, what few people know is that another individual, Mark Gubrud, came up with the phrase "artificial general intelligence" in 1997.
Gubrud's work was focused on nanotechnology and its dangers as a tool for warfare. He warned that breakthrough technologies would redefine international conflicts, potentially leading to catastrophic consequences. His paper, published at the Fifth Foresight Conference on Molecular Nanotechnology, discussed advanced AI as part of these emerging threats. The term "artificial general intelligence" was new, but Gubrud's definition still stands today.
In 2002, a group of researchers including Ben Goertzel and Shane Legg began using the phrase "artificial general intelligence." They were drawn to it because it better described their vision of AI surpassing human intelligence in breadth. Legg attributes the term to him, saying he suggested using "general" to describe AI that could perform any task a human could.
The origin of AGI is not as well-known as the concept itself, but Gubrud's contribution has been vindicated by its widespread adoption today. While his own work was largely overlooked, he has become an unlikely champion for his ideas on the dangers of advanced technologies. As the world becomes increasingly reliant on AI, Gubrud's warnings about its potential misuse serve as a reminder that even the most seemingly utopian advancements can have dark consequences.
"I will accept the credit for the first citation," Gubrud says with a hint of humility, "and give them credit for a lot of other work that I didn't do." His legacy lies not in fame or fortune but in giving a name to a concept that has taken over the world – and perhaps saving humanity from its own potential pitfalls.
The thing is, I think we're still living in the era Mark Gubrud warned us about back in 1997 
. We've got AI getting smarter by the day, but it's only a matter of time before some crazy tech mogul decides to use it for something destructive 
. And honestly, it's not just about AI – it's all these advancements in nanotechnology and biotech that are like, totally out of control 
. We need people like Gubrud reminding us of the risks, you know? It's not all rainbows and unicorns 
.
His warning about nanotechnology and its dangers as a tool for warfare is soooo relevant today 
. I'm literally shaking thinking about all the potential pitfalls of AGI... let's hope we can learn from Gubrud's legacy and create a better future for ourselves 
anyway, it's kinda cool that his ideas are still relevant today & ppl r starting to realize the dangers of advanced tech 
. The thing is, as it gets more powerful, we're also losing control 
. No one's talking about the potential risks... just pushing forward with the tech 
Like, what if we're just sleepwalking into a future where AI is beyond our control? It sounds like Gubrud was onto something when he warned about the dangers of advanced technologies, but how did we let that warning get lost in all the hype around AI's potential benefits? 
OMG u guys! did u no about mark gubrud? 
he was like totally 1st 2 use the term "artificial general intelligence" 
in 1997!!! 
it's wild cuz now we're literally livin' wit this stuff n it's changin the game 
. his legacy is actually pretty cool 
, givin a name 2 somethin that's takin over the world 
. it's like, we're all just tryna figure out how 2 use it good n not bad 
anyway, think Gubrud was way ahead of his time with the nanotechnology warnings... all these breakthroughs and advancements are gonna come back to bite us if we don't keep our wits about us 
. Now people are finally recognizing the dangers of AI and its potential misuse 
. We should all be taking his warnings seriously and trying to regulate AI before it's too late 
.
. We need to keep having these conversations about the ethics of AI and make sure we're not creating a monster that we can't control. It's all well and good to have intelligent machines, but what happens when they start making decisions on their own? 
. It's crazy to think that his work on nanotechnology was so ahead of its time 
. We're already seeing the consequences of not listening to his warnings, and it's not pretty 
.
. I mean, who wouldn't want to be the one to give a name to something that could potentially change humanity for the better (or worse)? 
. Let's give it up for Mark Gubrud – the OG warning sign about AI's dark side 
! 
.
. I guess you could say that his warning is kinda prophetic or something 
. Anyway, I'm gonna keep an eye on this stuff and see where it goes 
.