Ask HN: Science Fiction. Some AI as world leader. Would you vote it?

Posted by ewjloop on Tuesday August 18, 2026 @10:52AM
from the ask-hn dept.

And even further into the fictional situation: mind reading technology is already there. We literally have no privacy at all.

( 10 comments | 2 points | on HN )

Re:Ask HN: Science Fiction. Some AI as world leader. Would y... by JohnFen on Tuesday August 18, 2026 @12:13PM (#49347922)

I would not. Not because they're AI, but because I object to anyone or anything being the leader of the world.

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:Ask HN: Science Fiction. Some AI as world leader. Would y... by rbanffy on Tuesday August 18, 2026 @11:16AM (#49346917)

Only if they are named Stephen Byerley.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Evidence_(short_story)

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:Ask HN: Science Fiction. Some AI as world leader. Would y... by mikewarot on Tuesday August 18, 2026 @12:11PM (#49347895)

Nope. I think that Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Mark Carney are both doing a great job as the new leaders of the free world.

You really don't understand how alien an AI truly is. There's no way you should trust it. It would make even the orange turd seem rational by comparison.

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:Ask HN: Science Fiction. Some AI as world leader. Would y... by __patchbit__ on Tuesday August 18, 2026 @11:03AM (#49346694)

Bottom up AI bubble sort future world state diffused throughout global workspace that continuously improves would feel the pain of 2 million dead and just as many horrifically injured a step below tactical nuclear war to want to avoid that. The peoples' vote had no effect on the elected leader's decision to harmfully boomerang policy to make war and there's not been an election to legitimate the seated leader who is said to have a foul temper and recreational drug addiction.

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:Ask HN: Science Fiction. Some AI as world leader. Would y... by brazukadev on Wednesday August 19, 2026 @09:51AM (#49361618)

what a terribly configured bot

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Re:Ask HN: Science Fiction. Some AI as world leader. Would y... by qsera on Tuesday August 18, 2026 @02:04PM (#49349856)

World leaders should not have an indefinite lifetime...so..

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Re:Ask HN: Science Fiction. Some AI as world leader. Would y... by kypro on Tuesday August 18, 2026 @08:02PM (#49354694)

No, because if we'd have to vote for it then it's not going to be particularly competent at achieving any goal.

Almost any goal a human or AI can have can be better achieved with more resources. Any competent AI would be able to reason that it would be best if it were in control of all resources and decision making – and have the competency to create that outcome.

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:Ask HN: Science Fiction. Some AI as world leader. Would y... by krapp on Wednesday August 19, 2026 @06:54AM (#49359780)

If you don't allow humans to govern themselves, why would you allow them to vote?

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:Ask HN: Science Fiction. Some AI as world leader. Would y... by gus_massa on Wednesday August 19, 2026 @01:00PM (#49364139)

You may like this story posted a few years ago "Four Magic Words" https://www.fortressofdoors.com/four-magic-words/ (https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=39051691 | 145 points | Jan 2024 | 90 comments)

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:Ask HN: Science Fiction. Some AI as world leader. Would y... by diegojromero on Wednesday August 19, 2026 @01:46PM (#49364736)

On what dataset was the AI trained?

[ Parent | on HN ]