Netflix’s AI Doc: Watch It, Then Talk About It

Hey friends,

I just watched a shocking documentary that made me want to share it with you this week.

It’s called The AI Doc: Or How I Became an Apocaloptimist. Filmmaker Daniel Roher is about to become a father, and like a lot of us, he’s trying to understand what this onslaught of AI might mean for humanity and the world his child is about to inherit.

The film is about his search for answers. He talks with folks building AI, along with researchers and others who are deeply concerned about where this technology is going.

I found the film both fascinating and frightening. You all know I’m hardly anti-AI. I use it every day. I’m building it into my business. And I’m excited about its potential to help us solve heretofore unsolvable problems.

But I’m very concerned, too. We’re developing an incredibly powerful technology at breathtaking speed, while our capacity to use that power wisely isn’t keeping pace.

AI has the potential to change nearly every part of our lives. But that progress comes with some very real and serious risks. The people interviewed in the film disagree about how serious, and what we should do about them. But since none of us “voted” for this, I think that's another important reason for all of us to join in this conversation.

Folks on the left and right both agree, let’s slow down before we cross a line there’s no coming back from.

So, I have a simple request: Watch the film! It’s available on Netflix.

After you watch it, talk about it. Talk with your family and your friends. And if you're concerned about what you learn, let your elected representatives know that AI safety and responsible development matter to you.

The filmmakers have also created a site with information and ways to get involved:
The AI Doc: Get Involved — https://theaidocgetinvolved.com/

There’s also a connection here to something I’ve spent years thinking and writing about. As our power increases, so does our responsibility to become more aware of ourselves, our patterns, and the consequences of our choices.

AI may be one of the biggest tests of that responsibility we’ve ever faced.

Watch the documentary. I’d really like to know what you think.

Wishing you abundant health, happiness, and prosperity,
Mark