> Distressingly, the people most passionate about AI often express a not-so-subtle disdain for humanity.

I have noticed something similar: those who are ultra-passionate about AI are often Extremely Online, and it seems like their values tilt too far away from humanity for my taste. The use of AI is treated almost as an end in and of itself, which perpetuates a maximalist AI vision. This is also probably why they give off this weird vibe of having their personality outsourced.