Scott criticizes an article downplaying AI risks in favor of mundane technologies, arguing this represents misplaced caution given AI's potential existential threat. Longer summary

Scott Alexander critiques a Financial Times article that argues simple technologies like barbed wire are often more transformative than complex ones like AI. While agreeing that mundane innovations can be important, Scott argues this shouldn't dismiss concerns about AI risks. He introduces the concept of local vs. global caution, suggesting that dismissing AI risks as unlikely is the wrong kind of caution given the potential stakes. He points out the severe underfunding of AI safety research compared to trivial pursuits, arguing that society's apathy towards AI risks is not cautious skepticism but dangerous insanity. Shorter summary

Scott shares and comments on various interesting links from February 2014, covering science, medicine, education, technology, and politics. Longer summary

This is a collection of interesting links from February 2014, covering a wide range of topics. Scott starts with unusual scientific findings about sobriety and chewing, then covers social experiments in schools, tech culture in San Francisco, medical system stories both good and bad, and various scientific studies about obesity, depression, and therapy. He also discusses education policy, with particular focus on coding bootcamps and charter schools, as well as various economic and political topics. The post ends with some technological developments including Bitcoin and a project for worldwide satellite internet. Shorter summary