Why are people so scared of causing fear?
The author questions the common tendency to prioritize avoiding public fear over informing people about genuine existential threats, such as pandemics or AI risks. They argue that while a panicked reaction might be suboptimal, it is far preferable to people remaining ignorant of dangers they could potentially mitigate. This concern for managing public emotion, even when the threat is believed to be real, seems misplaced when compared to the potential consequences of inaction. AI
IMPACT Explores the societal framing of AI risks and the ethical considerations of communicating potential dangers.