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ONE CHANCE
Has anyone ever said that to you? Did you say it
to yourself? Was it the voice inside your head?
You've 'one chance' to save something important:
your job, your relationship, your reputation, your
future. Something you'd always taken for granted.
The phrase 'end of the world' wasn't strong enough.
Well, that's where we are with Al, and this affects us all. As the
threat of Al spirals further out of control, the majority-that's
95% of us-will pay the highest price. The blood on these covers
is real. This is our future and the legacy we leave for future
generations.
Our challenge is most of us-including governments-are
oblivious to the tsunami on its way. A tech revolution on track to
destroy everything we value, including our talents skills and
experience, and our right to use them to earn a living and build
a better tomorrow. More concerning is the belief that this is
inevitable and there is nothing we can do.
That's wrong thinking on both counts.
Billionaires and global giants don't own our future and have no
right to dictate what's to come. If we lamely stand aside, we
can't turn the clock back-we'll regret it for the rest of our days.
The alternative is to be the generation that said no to corporate
greed. The generation that stood together on the right side of
history.
ONE CHANCE explains everything. To help make this happen
please register at humanityfirstai.org, and spread the word.
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ONE CHANCE
to save the future
Mike Pywell
humanityfirstai.org
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This review edition first published
in Great Britain in 2024 by Humanity First AI
Text © Mike Pywell, 2024
Artwork © Mike Pywell, Helen Lee
Cover design by Mike Pywell, Helen Lee
Interior layout and design by Mike Pywell, Laura Kincaid
Editing and Typesetting, Laura Kincaid
www.humanityfirstai.org
The moral right of Mike Pywell to be identified as the
author of this work has been asserted in accordance with
the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act, 1988
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be
reproduced in whole or in any part in any form without
the written permission of the publisher
Printed and bound in Great Britain
by Book Printing UK
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iii
Author’s note
When I started this, friends and family questioned my sanity.
Why did I think I could kick-start a movement to realign AI?
‘Experts know more than you, and governments do too. It’s their
job to stop the worst from happening; no one will listen to you.’
I understood but didn’t agree. I saw what was coming, and
it burned inside me. Billionaires and profiteers will rake in the
gold, but ultimately, everyone else will pay – and pay the highest
price. I had to do something.
The scale scared me, but I’m stubborn. Eighteen months on,
I’m glad I am.
In the July 2024 UK election, they talked of pence-in-the-
pound tax cuts and supervised teeth cleaning for five-year-olds,
but humanity facing the most frightening challenge in history
didn’t get a mention and it’s the same in the US.1 Despite the AI
experts’ campaign for a pause, the industry, government and the
public ignored the pleas. Politicians don’t focus on the future;
their only focus is votes today.
But we face a crisis today.
Industry and governments will only sit up if society makes
enough noise, and currently, there’s barely a whimper; in fact,
we’re rolling over and giving them the keys. These pages spell out
the terrifying inside track. Read them; the penny will drop. It’s
time for us to make the biggest noise the world has ever heard.
When I started, I was worried people wouldn’t see the reckless
arrogance of today’s global giants or the true cost of AI’s quick fixes.
But all that’s needed now is to open our eyes. Today’s technology is
powerful enough to destroy livelihoods, hopes, dreams and more.
And what’s coming is even more frightening. ChatGPT-5 and
Google Gemini are on their way, and still not a squeak in protest.
AI moves at lightning speed. If this were climate change,
Wall Street would be underwater, Europe in flames and survival
would be on everyone’s lips.
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But it isn’t climate change.
Despite the genie being out of the box, there is a way back.
Power and greed don’t have to destroy everything; if managed
correctly, AI could be our saviour. That’s why we need to act
now.
What’s missing is common sense, and the good news is that
you’re holding it. This book explains and plots a path to a better
future – a win-win for all.
Entrepreneurs, corporations and investors can still profit, but
society will be stronger. Humanity will thank us for that. All we
need to do is find our voice.
Mike Pywell – 14 August 2024
Humanity First AI, this book and the campaign are not for
profit/non profit. If you'd like to help, join the movement or
discover more please register at humanityfirstai.org
NOTES ON PREVIEW COPY
Please forgive the odd typo, grammatical error or passage
that doesn't flow as well as it could. These will all be
addressed. The final version will also have more images,
info-graphics and charts, and TLDR summaries (too long
didn't read). Think tweets summaries for readers that scan.
To engage more readers and allow for sharing. it was a late
change to a set of three but unfortunately that threw out all
the chapter links. These, image referencing and polishing
endnotes will all be completed prior to publication.
I would welcome feedback and thoughts on errors,
omissions or bias. Please use the form at humanityfirstai.org
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<IMAGE 1>
<Visual overview of contents – this will be a two-page spread>
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CONTENTS
1.0
One chance
BOOK ONE – THE OVERVIEW
Part 1: Where we are
1.1
The road ahead – a crossroads for humanity
1.2
AI now sees, listens and learns – the final breakthrough
13
1.3
Why ChatGPT-4o Vision is free
16
1.4
It’s time to connect the dots
19
1.5
The innocence and trauma of youth
21
1.6
It’s time for wisdom – don’t get too excited
25
1.7
What are the values of this new world?
30
1.8
How quick fixes erode our cognitive powers
32
1.9
Having $1.9bn backing doesn’t mean it knows better
35
1.91 Best sit down for this one, with a drink by your side
39
1.10 Humans share a common trait
44
1.11 Why we underestimate AI’s threat
48
1.12 Everyone knows the risks, but they still keep going
52
1.13 The danger of Occam’s razor
57
1.14 Simplicity on the far side of complexity
59
1.15 Our thinking biases – why we think the way we do
64
1.16 Getting the message out there – show, NOT tell
68
1.17 The worst thing we can do is do NOTHING
70
1.18 Why we have to act now
75
1.19 It all comes down to trust, a word lost in the past
79
1.20 How this book works
83
1.21 A 30-second tale about AI and humans
87
1.22 A 30-second tale about humans
89
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