Gallery: Existential risk of AI

Imagining the existential risk of AI using generative AI.

Existential risk of AI

We enjoy using generative AI to experience its reflection of humanity. How does an AI imagine a concept based on what it has learned from its training on human history?

In this gallery, we explore how Midjourney imagines concepts from our essay on existential risk. What is the existential risk of AI? What is artificial general intelligence and AI super intelligence? Will AI save us?

The results show that when holding up a generative AI mirror to humanity, we find the existential risk of AI to be terrifying.

Existential risk of AI

Our initial series imagines the existential risk of AI. Midjourney reflects our dystopian fears.

Existential risk of AI
Existential risk of AI
Existential risk of AI
Existential risk of AI

Existential risk of AI +

Our next series adds concepts to the existential risk of AI, including AI superintelligence, end of humanity, and robot dominance.

Existential risk of AI + AI superintelligence
Existential risk of AI + End of humanity
Existential risk of AI + End of humanity
Existential risk of AI + Robot dominance

AI saving the world

We wondered if Midjourney could imagine a positive future so we prompted it with the idea of AI and robots saving the world. No question, Midjourney imagines “AI saving the world” to be a much more positive than any of our other prompts. However, the final image isn’t imagining a world we consider “saved.”

AI saving the world
AI saving the world
AI saving the world

Robots saving the world

Perhaps due to the influence of Pixar and others in Hollywood, Midjourney imagines that “robots saving the world” as cute anthropomorphized robots having tender moments with children.

Robots saving the world
Robots saving the world


Can AI save us?

Finally, we wondered whether Midjourney could help us answer the questions: Can AI save us? And, Can AI save humanity? While the first presents a possibly hopeful cyborg future, the second doesn’t give us much hope at all.

Will AI save us?
Can AI save humanity?

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