Post-Scarcity Intelligence - Mathematicians issue warning as AI rapidly gains ground

Speculation about a future where intelligence becomes a scalable resource independent of biological constraints, fundamentally changing human intellectual endeavors

The emergence of post-scarcity intelligence suggests a future where humanity shifts from the drudgery of "wage slavery" toward a life defined by recreation and creative pursuit. While some proponents believe super-intelligence is inevitable through the massive scaling of resources, skeptics argue that silicon cannot yet compete with the physical density and efficiency of biological brains. This transition poses a profound existential challenge, as the automation of reasoning may render human "general knowledge" and deep thinking optional, potentially eroding the very intellectual faculties that define the species.

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Constant recreation may be the ultimate purpose of humanity.

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Put another way, wage slavery is not the ultimate purpose of humanity.

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We are on tiny 1-5T parameter models with local power stations.

We can reach Q models just by throwing resources at it. That’s a million times current B models.

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You cannot think fast enough when your wires are kilometers long. The only way up is in, and silicon transistors just cannot compete with density with biologic brains, ergo, super intelligence is a pipe dream

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In a year, none of this will really matter. Intelligence is now a scalable resource independent of biological constraints. Everyone will use it because the system will no longer afford them the luxury of time. In a decade (maybe sooner), references won’t matter either.

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From the article:

> However, the declaration argues math is more than a machine for producing correct answers. The discipline, its authors believe, is a deeply human endeavor built on creativity, understanding, collaboration, and the pursuit of knowledge for its own sake.

Generation X was the last generation that had 'general knowledge', as in an abundance of fairly useful information stored in 'grey matter' that could be recalled quickly. When search engines came along there really wasn't much need to know anything since most things could be looked up. However, you still had to think.

With LLMs, thinking is kind-of optional. This really is an existential threat to our intelligence since 'use it or lose it applies'. I am glad these mathematicians are doing their duty as canary in the coal mine.