Technology—like science—is neutral all through
June 1955 (Fortune). John von Neumann, mathematician and member of the US Atomic Energy Commission, wrote this essay, "Can We Survive Technology?", on the risks of accelerating technology for Fortune in June 1955.
More from John von Neumann · AI and safety · AI and philosophy · Before ChatGPT
Who else?
What it refers to: Developments such as free energy, automation, improved communications and climate control, whose useful techniques also lend themselves to destruction, including climatic warfare.
Other voices
- “There are evil people, and they will use your tools to hurt people” Eric Schmidt, Builder,
- “Downgraded humans misusing upgraded computers” Yuval Noah Harari, Thinker,
- “The machine follows our commands, it executes but does not decide on its own” Pope Francis, Thinker,
- “Machines can and do transcend some of the limitations of their designers” Norbert Wiener,
- “Ungoverned by ethical or philosophical norms” Henry Kissinger,
- “Both extremely good and extremely bad outcomes are possible, and we are a bit in the dark” Nick Bostrom, Thinker,










