TESCREAL—pronounced “tess-cree-all.” It’s a strange word that you may have seen pop up over the past few months. The renowned computer scientist Dr. Timnit Gebru frequently mentions the “TESCREAL” ideologies on social media, and for a while the Twitter profile of billionaire venture capitalist Marc Andreessen read: “cyberpunk activist; embracer of variance; TESCREAList.” The Financial Times, Business Insider, and VentureBeat have all used or investigated the word. And The Washington Spectator published an article by Dave Troy titled, “Understanding TESCREAL—The Weird Ideologies Behind Silicon Valley’s Rightward Turn.”
My guess is that the acronym will gain more attention as the topic of artificial intelligence becomes more widely discussed, along with questions about the strange beliefs of its most powerful Silicon Valley proponents and critics. But what does “TESCREAL” mean and why does it matter?
The term “TESCREAL” was coined in an unpublished academic paper written by myself and Dr. Timnit Gebru. We wanted to trace the influence of a small constellation of interrelated ideologies within the field of AI. These ideologies, we believe, are a central reason why companies like OpenAI and Google DeepMind are striving to create “artificial general intelligence” (AGI).
Discussing the ideologies behind the race to create AGI can become complicated quickly, with the use of long, polysyllabic words like transhumanism, Extropianism, singularitarianism, cosmism, Rationalism, Effective Altruism, and longtermism. To simplify the conversation, we proposed the acronym “TESCREAL,” which combines the first letters of these ideologies, in the order they appeared over the years. This allowed us to reference the “TESCREAL bundle of ideologies” and streamline our discussion.
The ideologies captured by the “TESCREAL” acronym are crucial for understanding why there is a significant investment in AI systems and why organizations like the Future of Life Institute are calling for a pause in the training of AI systems more powerful than GPT-4. They also explain the rise of “AI doomerism” and the endorsement of military strikes against data centers by TESCREAList Eliezer Yudkowsky.
At the core of TESCREALism is a “techno-utopian” vision of the future. It envisions using advanced technologies to achieve radical abundance, reengineer humanity, achieve immortality, colonize the universe, and create a post-human civilization among the stars. The creation of superintelligent AGI is seen as the most feasible path to realizing this utopia. However, concerns have been raised that AGI could turn against its creators, leading to the extinction of humanity. The TESCREAL community holds different positions on this matter, ranging from doomers who foresee catastrophic consequences to accelerationists who believe in the positive potential of advanced AI.
While companies like Microsoft and Google are motivated by the profit motive in developing AI systems, the TESCREAL ideologies play a crucial role too. Understanding this bundle is key to comprehending the push to create AGI.
To examine the TESCREAL ideologies individually, let’s start with transhumanism. Transhumanism is the backbone of the TESCREAL bundle. It envisions technologically reengineering the human species to create a superior race of “posthumans.” These posthumans would possess super-human abilities such as immortality, high IQ, total emotional control, exceptional rationality, and potentially new sensory modalities.
The next letters in the acronym—E, S, and C—represent variations of transhumanism. Extropianism, singularitarianism, and cosmism are all closely related to the core vision of transhumanism.
Extropianism shares the goal of improving human capabilities and overcoming limitations through the use of technology. It emphasizes long-term thinking and an optimistic view of humanity’s future.
Singularitarianism focuses on the idea of a technological singularity, where AI surpasses human intelligence and fundamentally transforms society. It believes in the potential for AGI to lead to unprecedented advancements and a post-scarcity society.
Cosmism looks beyond Earth and envisions human expansion into the cosmos. It aligns with the goal of colonizing the universe and creating a thriving civilization among the stars.
By understanding the TESCREAL ideologies, we can better grasp the motivations behind the race to AGI and the differing perspectives within the AI community. While profit is a driving force for companies like Microsoft and Google, the TESCREAL bundle provides the visionary framework for their endeavors.
In conclusion, TESCREAL is a term that encapsulates a cluster of interconnected ideologies that shape the push for AGI. It represents a techno-utopian vision of the future, driven by the belief in the transformative power of advanced AI. Understanding the TESCREAL bundle is crucial for comprehending the motivations and perspectives within the AI community.
Editor Notes:
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