Artificial intelligence and totalitarianism

Abstract

After the introduction, the first part of the paper is devoted to defining the concepts of artificial intelligence and totalitarianism, where the importance of distinguishing between the current (machine learning) and the projected (superintelligence) phase in the development of artificial intelligence, i.e. between the embryonic (totalitarian movement out of power) and the established (totalitarian movement in power) stage in the development of totalitarianism is underlined. The second part of the paper examines the connection between the current level of artificial intelligence and the embryonic phase of totalitarianism, while the third part of the paper analyzes the potential relationship between the superintelligence and the established totalitarianism. It seems, considering the similarities and differences between the effects of contemporary and future artificial intelligence and the effects of earlier totalitarianism, that today (and in the future) we do not have a mere replica of totalitarian phases from the 20th century, but special totalitarian phenomena in the form of "capillary totalitarianism", i.e. "hypertotalitarianism". Last century's totalitarianism, as well as today's "capillary" variant of it, were not necessarily irreversible, but "hypertotalitarianism" will be. In conclusion, protective measures against the risk of artificial intelligence are proposed, in the form of the principle of exemption (modeled after the concept of conscientious objection).