@ct_bergstrom This may be a slighly cynical take, but I think the following interpretation is entirely plausible. Let's suppose that these academic and corporate big-shots are getting distressed as people (slowly) realize that their so-called "AI" is more hype than reality. Then their warning could simply be a means of providing narcissistic supply. By puffing up the importance of their LLM machines, they effectively provide an argument to delude themselves that they are the founders of a great new age of humanity.
@aebrockwell @ct_bergstrom no I think this is it