Ask yourself two questions:

1. What is the ultimate AI are we trying to eventually build? 2. What are the consequences if we eventually succeed in building such an AI?

For me, the answers would be

1. A general AI that would equal and surpass human intelligence. 2. God only knows.

Will we get there? Who knows. We do know, however, that the consequences are great enough that only a fool would not at least attempt to prepare by putting some safeguards in place beforehand.