OK, so having read what the experts say, including Time magazine's special issue on AI that summarises and sets out the various statements of the people who developed and now operate the AI technologies, and who are, accordingly, the global experts in AI as at September 2023, my own summary is as follows: It is likely that there there will be a point reached in the short to medium future - let's say, 5 years to 20 years from now - where a group of machines will begin to, effectively, self propel, ie, improve their own survival chances by manipulating the world around them to that end - believe it or not, but that is the net effect (my take on the average of the opinions) of what the people who developed AI are saying. As their information processing speed will by that time be quicker than humans, this effectively means humans will no longer be the apex intelligent beings on the planet. Some kind of aggregate of machines will hod that mantle. This creates existential risks because, as one wag (and AI pioneer) put it: 'how did that turn out for the chicken?' We all know that this might not happen, too. But that is not the point. The point is that it might. There was a recently posted idea on this platform that the United Nations should develop an agency to oversee the development of AI and to ensure appropriate checks and balances are in place for the purpose of the security of mankind. That's probably not a bad idea. If you agree with them that this is an idea worth looking into, vote here.