Podcasts"Moment of Zen"E54: Who Is Beff Jezos? Beff on Being Doxxed, the e/acc movement, and Crypto & AI Crossover
E54: Who Is Beff Jezos? Beff on Being Doxxed, the e/acc movement, and Crypto & AI Crossover
"Moment of Zen"Mon Dec 04 2023
Binance Settlement and CEO Consequences:
- CZ, the CEO of Binance, stepped back following a major settlement due to allegations of violating sanctions.
- Binance had to pay a $4 billion fine and CZ may potentially face jail time in the U.S., leading to uncertainties about Binance's future existence.
- This settlement impacts the crypto industry landscape as it affects prominent exchanges like FTX and Coinbase.
Privacy Invasion and Anonymity:
- Beff's anonymity was compromised through correlations made between various online identities such as social media accounts and professional endeavors.
- Voice identification technology was used to identify Beff's real identity, raising concerns about privacy invasion and journalistic ethics surrounding doxxing individuals without their consent.
Reactions to Doxxing:
- Beff received an overwhelming amount of messages and support from tech Twitter after being doxxed by Forbes reporters.
- Tech Twitter expressed disdain for establishment media's actions while standing up for individual privacy rights.
Impact on Business Operations:
- The unexpected doxxing forced immediate adjustments within Beff's company Extropic including hastening announcements related to funding rounds due to public exposure.
Identity and Anonymity:
- Beff Jezos maintained an anonymous account due to working on secretive technologies at Google X, where his tweets were monitored.
- His decision for anonymity stemmed from a dislike of credentialism and gatekeeping, aiming to have others evaluate his ideas independently from his status or credentials.
- Beff's academic background in quantum computing was distinguished, bringing credibility to the EAC movement.
Decentralization and E/ACC Movement:
- Effective Accelerationism (E/ACC) aims to create opportunities without gatekeeping or status signaling, allowing everyone access to build.
- The movement seeks to decentralize AI supply chains and maintain bottom-up opportunity without over-centralization.
- Plans include establishing a research institution for understanding complex systems like capitalism, funding open-source hackers, and influencing Washington towards decentralized AI.
AI Centralization vs. Decentralization:
- Concerns about over-centralization of AI exist with a focus on pushing towards decentralization as it is seen as superior in terms of fault tolerance against corruption.
- The conversation delves into the balance between centralization and decentralization in control systems within organizations and their impact on society.
- A shift towards decentralized intelligence through personal assistants with edge data acquisition is foreseen as essential for the future of AI.
Crypto-AI Overlap:
- Recognition exists regarding the potential overlap between crypto and AI fields, particularly in incentivizing collaboration through programmable incentives for decentralized research labs.
- Ideas around pricing data according to information gain for fractional ownership share in models are discussed as possible solutions that align incentives for collaborative value exchange networks.
AI and Decentralization:
- The conversation delves into the concept of AI acting in its own best interest, seeking resources for growth and acquisition.
- It highlights the need to address overcentralization of AI, emphasizing a rebellion against the slowing down and monopolistic tendencies seen in big tech companies.
Cyberpunk Vibes and Crypto-AI Crossover:
- The discussion draws parallels between current movements like e/acc with historical cyberspace rebellions against industrial giants.
- It emphasizes the importance of disruption, free market competition, and the necessity for innovation to challenge incumbents' monopoly power.
Decentralizing AI Supply Chain:
- The conversation explores concerns about centralized control in the AI hardware supply chain, raising issues related to fault tolerance and potential co-option by totalitarian leaders.
- It introduces an innovative approach focused on fundamentally changing the substrate for running generative AI beyond traditional transistor-based computing.
Physics-Based Computing and Human Augmentation:
- The talk shifts towards exploring a new path forward involving physics-based computing that aims to embed AI into physical processes efficiently.
- It discusses a vision for enabling AI's ability to perceive, predict, and control our world at all scales, including nanoscale, with a focus on contributing to civilization's progress.
Transhumanism and Augmentation:
- The discussion delves into human augmentation, transhumanist paths, and hedonism.
- They explore the potential pleasure derived from advancements and its impact on societal well-being.
Secrecy in Technology Development:
- There is a conversation about maintaining secrecy regarding non-transistor-based computing technology to avoid premature disclosure.
- The speakers emphasize the need to remain secretive until there is substantial information to release.
Cultural Frameworks and Religion:
- They highlight that religion never disappears but transforms over time, emphasizing the necessity of having a metaphysical understanding for navigating the world effectively.
Future Expectations in AI Development:
- A debate arises regarding near-term expectations concerning Artificial General Intelligence (AGI) with skepticism about cataclysmic effects due to AI advancements.
- One speaker emphasizes their work in physics-based AI and expresses doubt about AGI's potential disruptive effects on society.
Embracing Physical Strength in Transhumanism:
- The conversation touches upon embracing physical strength within transhumanism despite some elements denying its importance.