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Warfare? World War 1 British Empire: 9% of those who fought died (many others had a dreadful time with the gas, disease, trench foot, shell shock). France: 18%. CSA: 20%. WW2 Germany: 30%. WW1 Serbia: 46%. About 46% of French troops who fought in the Napoleonic wars didn't survive. By and large, Napoleon was and is a national hero in France: well-loved by all, including the troops. He brought them glory.
Today I'd be willing to bet that the Ukrainian army or Hamas have taken on high death rates too.
The trouble is that nobody thinks they'll be WW1 Serbia. The Serbians somehow didn't foresee what was going to happen if they went up against Austria and Germany, they were insanely stubborn and risk-tolerant for extremely small stakes. The Serbian govt was like 'the Austrian demands after our state-backed assassins killed their prince is way too embarrassing, we can't accept Austrian police on our soil, let's risk a war with a much bigger country' and then they lose 16-27% of their whole population.
Many men would much rather risk an unknowable but quite high chance of death than be embarrassed. Nevermind eternal glory far surpassing any hero in history, immortality and vast wealth.
I agree many wars have a much higher risks but for the purpose of choosing to take AI risks I think a big difference exists. You do AI for money. Choosing to fight in many of those wars is possibly death if you don’t fight.
Money is a part of it but there's also a teleological aspect of it too I think. This is about the destiny of humanity. It's not like BASE jumping.
If you accept AI x-risk is a thing, you also surely believe it can unlock immortality and all the other incredible things that were exclusive territory of religion. You can make money in many fields but only one takes on the quasi-religious tones that so many non-adherents mock. Deus ex machina is the name of the game!
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