“Evaluating the Ban Artificial Superintelligence Act” by Rob Ennals

MIRI recently endorsed the Ban Artificial Superintelligence Act, but others like ControlAI have called it overly broad, and a few other respected experts have outright endorsed it in its current form.

I decided to take a look at it myself and see both what the bid is trying to do and whether it actually does it well.

The goal of this act is to ban any AI that shows traits that indicate it could cause great harm to society, and to restrict the development of advanced AI to certified institutions who can be trusted to do so safely. This seems like a reasonable goal.

The problem with this bill, as far as I can see it, isn't that its goal is wrong, but that the way it's been drafted contains lots of flaws, which are likely to have unintended negative consequences.

At it's core, the bill does four things:

• Ban AI that has one of six dangerous capabilities
  • Automate or greatly accelerate AI research and development
  • Access secured systems without authorization
  • Keep operating despite attempts to shut it down
  • Meaningfully help with nuclear, chemical, or biological weapons
  • Modify its own functions
  • Scheme, deceive, or [...]

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First published:
October 1st, 2026

Source:
https://www.lesswrong.com/posts/mmfYDH6hwYAMToNKL/evaluating-the-ban-artificial-superintelligence-act

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Narrated by TYPE III AUDIO.