If Elon Musk were Japanese

The problem of cultural bias when thinking about AI

There’s a scene in The Avengers: End Game where they are discussing the laws of time travel.

The idea was to go back in time to kill Thanos as a baby or steal the Stones before Thanos got them, thus preventing the annihilation of half of living beings. To support their plan, Rhodey and Ant-Man cite every movie that deals with time travel, mentioning Star Trek, Terminator, Timecop, Time After Time, Hot Tub Time Machine, and Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure, and others.

The scientist among them, Bruce Banner (The Hulk), tells them that “time doesn’t work that way. Changing the past doesn’t change the future.”

It makes for a funny scene full of pop-culture references and science-fiction paradoxes. 

But it also illustrates how many people form their views about mystifying topics—through archetypical stories embedded in their culture.

Even movies.

No, especially movies.

What is the most common reference when discussing advanced AI's potential risks and dangers?

Terminator. Even though it’s an inaccurate metaphor.

Sadly, smart people are not immune to the influence of fictional stories in their thinking.

Elon Musk has cited several science fiction books, especially Isaac Asimov's The Foundation Series, as major influences on his thinking and the motivations behind his companies, such as SpaceX and Neuralink.

One can’t help but wonder if Musk’s existential fear of AI is (unconsciously) rooted more in science fiction than science.

Although I cannot prove it, I believe I can make a strong case for the role of cultural biases in AI thinking.

East versus West and the Fear of AI

In many Eastern cultures, particularly in countries like China, Japan, and South Korea, there's a notable embrace of AI and technology in general. 

These countries have historically shown a strong inclination towards integrating advanced technology into everyday life. For example, Japan has a long-standing cultural affinity for robots and AI, reflected in their use of robots for tasks ranging from caregiving to customer service. 

The fear of AI causing catastrophic harm to humanity, often portrayed in dystopian movies and books as a rogue AI taking over the world, resonates globally. Still, the extent and focus of these fears can differ significantly between Eastern and Western perspectives.

In the West, there’s a prominent concern about existential risks from AI, influenced by high-profile tech figures known as AI doomers. 

For instance, in March 2023, The Future of Life Institute published an open letter titled "Pause Giant AI Experiments." The letter called for an immediate pause of at least six months on the training of AI systems more powerful than GPT-4. It cited potential risks such as AI-generated propaganda, extreme job automation, human obsolescence, and loss of societal control. It received over 20,000 signatures from prominent AI researchers, industry leaders like Elon Musk and Steve Wozniak, and public figures like Yuval Noah Harari.

In contrast, in many Eastern cultures, especially in technologically advanced countries like Japan, South Korea, and China, the discourse centers more on the benefits of AI and how it can contribute to societal good. 

Concerns about issues such as privacy, security, and employment exist, but the existential fear of AI destroying humanity is generally less emphasized. Instead, these societies might focus more on managing and integrating AI effectively to enhance economic growth and improve daily life, with a strong belief in human oversight and control.

Why this difference?