I like Tao, but it's always so sad to me to see people talk in this detached rational way about "how" to do AI without even mentioning the ethical and social issues involved. It's like pondering what's the best way to burn down the Louvre.
The tech — despite being sometimes impresaive — is objectively inefficient, expensive, and harmful to the environment (excessive use if energy and water for cooling), to the people located near the data centers (by stochastic leeching of coolants to the waterbed IIRC), and the economic harm done to hundreds of millions of people whose data was involuntarily used for training.
We've all seen the bad faith actors that questioned, for example, studies on the efficacy of wearing masks in reducing chance of transmission of airborne diseases because the study combined wearing masks AND washing hands... Those people would gladly hand wipe without toilet paper to "own the libs" or whatever hate-filled mental gymnastics strokes their ego.
With that in mind, let's call things for what they are: there are multiple companies that are salivating at the prospects of being able to make the working class obsolete. There's trillions to be made in their mind.
> I would like to see numbers, results, or something of that nature
I would like the same thing! So far, we have seen that a very big company that had pledged, IIRC, to remain not-for-profit for the benefit of humanity sold out at the drop of a hat the moment they were able to hint Zombocom levels of possibility to investors.
"There are two schools of thought, you see..."
Joking aside, I think that's a very valid point; not sure what would be the nonreligious term for the amorality of "sins of omission"... But, in essence, one can clearly be unethical by ignoring the social responsibility we have to study who is affected by our actions.
Corporations can't really play dumb there, since they have to weigh the impacts for every project they undertake.
Also, side note... It's very telling how little control we (commoners?) have as a global society that — collectively — we're throwing mountains of cash at weapons and AI, which would directly move us closer to oblivion and further the effects of climate change (despite the majority of people not wanting wars nor being replaced by a chatbot). I would instead favor world peace; ending poverty, famine, and genocide; and, preventing further global warming.
If the best you can do is bring up this garbage, then you have nothing of value to say.