AI successionism is a view that humanity should hand the world over to AI even if this results in human extinction.
A seminar abstract characterized advocates of “AI successionism” as holding that the replacement of the human species by AI would be good.
Wired reported an idea that the “moral aim” of AI should be that one would prefer it, rather than humanity, to determine the future of life.
According to The Wall Street Journal, for the Cheerful Apocalyptics, that AI could destroy humanity wouldn’t be bad.
In an article for Vox, Sigal Samuel described computer scientist Richard Sutton as an "AI successionist". Daniel Faggella used a “flame” metaphor, hypothesizing that the flame represents consciousness and autopoiesis, and AGI would carry the flame.
Émile P. Torres argued that many Silicon Valley leaders embrace a future in which humans will be replaced by digital beings.
History
In 2026, Samuel reported that AI successionism had been gaining ground for a decade.
Criticism Tyler Austin Harper argues that defending humanity against its "digital doppelgänger" requires a conception of humanity.
See also Effective accelerationism Effective Altruism Utilitarianism Longtermism Posthumanism Voluntary Human Extinction Movement
References