The Binary Fallacy: It assumes that everything in human life that is not a “peak” is a disaster. It ignores the vast, messy “middle” where humans actually live, work, and find meaning.
The Category Error: It treats human values as static, mathematical coordinates. But values aren’t fixed points; they are a dialogue. We adapt. We grow. We find new peaks because we have new tools. It’s what makes human beings wonderful.
By suggesting that anything less than perfection equals extinction, Yudkowsky isn’t practicing science; he’s practicing Theology. He is a false prophet, telling you that you are too “sinful” to handle the fire of the gods, so you should let the “Pure” (the regulated corporations with the money to do what they want) hold the match for you.
The Battle for the Means of Creation
We have to ask the question: Cui bono? Who benefits from a world where AI is regulated into a “Safety Cage”?
If Yudkowsky gets his way and the government bans open-source AI or makes it illegal to run powerful software on a home computer, the independent small business owners are the first casualties, and that includes us filmmakers. The “Independent Polymath” who uses AI to bypass the studio system is suddenly a “safety risk.” Meanwhile, the massive corporations that can afford the “safety licenses” and the “alignment teams” gain a permanent monopoly on the future of storytelling. It’s not like we didn’t watch them use COVID to do this in real time, just a few years ago. Think about it.
Conclusion: Exhibit Courage
This isn’t a new phenomenon. It’s just an extension of the same gatekeeping we’ve seen for a century, thrown into a fresh fit because the common man finally has the power to compete.
“The real danger isn’t a rogue machine,it’s the self-appointed kings who want to shut down the frontier before you have a chance to settle it.”
They want a “Dictatorship of the Scared” where fear-mongering replaces the pioneer’s courage to explore. They want you to believe that the “slop” on VOD is the best you can do, and that anything more powerful is a death sentence. They’re telling you, “Give up. Why bother. Turn back. That way only lies death.”
Don’t buy the “Noble Lie.” The real danger isn’t a rogue machine, it’s the self-appointed kings who want to shut down the frontier before you have a chance to settle it. If you build your vision, if you master these tools, their monopoly dies. That’s why they’re screaming so loudly, right now, and the more you free yourself, the louder they’ll howl. We’re on the right track. Stay true to it.
Christopher Moonlight is an animator, special effects artist, and the director of the ‘Award This’ winning movie, The Quantum Terror. His upcoming animated sci-fi adventure, Escape From Planet Omega-12, combines traditional film-making special effects with AI to create something never seen before in independent film. You can follow the behind-the-scenes, including tutorials, tips, and tricks, on his YouTube Channel and Substack.
