“Animal advocates should respond to transformative AI maybe arriving soon” by Jamie_Harris

AI is advancing incredibly fast. We might see AI systems that are better than most humans at many tasks within a few years. This would change things drastically for animals in factory farms, in the wild, and beyond… and therefore animal advocates’ strategies should change, too.

In this post, I argue:

1. Based on recent trends in AI capabilities and advances in training techniques, truly transformative AI could arrive soon, e.g. by 2030.
2. This matters for animal advocates (if you agree it could arrive soon), because transformative AI will change the game for animals—for better or worse.
3. Animal advocates might reasonably:
   1. Optimise harder for immediate results (not results in e.g. 5+ years’ time)
   2. Predict how AI will change things, and try to make that go well for animals
   3. Try to increase the concern that AIs or their controllers show for animals
   4. Focus on building capacity to prepare for TAI
   5. Shift to AI welfare, to [...]

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Outline:

(02:14) Transformative AI may arrive soon

(04:32) This matters for animals and their advocates

(05:45) How might animal advocates respond to TAI soon?

(05:52) Stick to business as usual

(06:55) Optimise harder for immediate results

(08:30) Predict how AI will change things, and try to make that go well for animals

(10:38) Focus on building capacity to prepare for TAI

(12:04) Try to increase the concern that AIs or their controllers show for animals

(13:28) Shift to AI welfare, to protect potential sentient AIs from suffering

(14:25) Shift towards all-inclusive AI safety

(15:40) You can do something about this

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First published:

August 2nd, 2025

Source:

https://forum.effectivealtruism.org/posts/TY2f2Ts2EdsDAP35y/animal-advocates-should-respond-to-transformative-ai-maybe

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Narrated by TYPE III AUDIO.