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LIES & GREED
the reckless risks, costs and
drivers of the AI race
Mike Pywell
humanityfirstai.org
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Tis 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
Te 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.
Te scale scared me, but I’m stubborn. Fifteen 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.288 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. Tese 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. Tat’s why we need to act
now.
What’s missing is common sense, and the good news is that
you’re holding it. Tis 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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CONTENTS
BOOK TWO – THE RACE
Part 3: Careers, jobs and industries
3.0
It’s the scale of the job losses
3.1
Don’t take comfort in the word global – that’s us
11
3.2
Te future is great – just work if you want to
18
3.3
Foresight is critical but pointless without action
23
3.4
Technology and the price of progress
25
3.5
Robots are coming, and so are the lies
27
3.6
Physical AI – when technology takes your breath away
30
3.7
Global giants, a perfect platform to lead the way
33
3.8
Beware of Greeks bearing gifts – AI assistants, another Trojan
Horse
38
3.9
Crush creatives, the self-employed and small business
43
3.10 A dagger through humanity’s heart
49
3.11 Traditional businesses next in line for AI
51
3.12 How AI global giants will dominate the future
54
3.13 Te big dream – why start-ups risk everything
58
3.14 Why the 2023 Hollywood strike is a warning to all
61
3.15 Why there are no limits to AI replacing humans
66
Part 4: The economy
71
4.0
What Henry Ford got right and what global giants have missed 73
4.1
Job losses, economic downturn, falling property values
77
4.2
Passive income streams take another dent
80
4.3
Job losses kill all investment; visit any town with no jobs
83
4.4
Why Sam Altman’s dream is economically and socially flawed 85
4.5
Chasing utopia – what risks are the winners taking?
91
4.6
What great leaders do when jobs disappear
94
Part 5: Warfare, terror and fraud
97
5.0
Te nuclear arms race and why it’s relevant
99
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