When 2012 passed into 2013, we did not have to rebuild our world, not in most countries at least.  It sufficed to make adjustments at the margin.

After the Roman Empire fell, parts of Europe had to rebuild their worlds.  It took a long time, but they ended up doing pretty well.

After the American Revolution, the newly independent colonies had to rebuild their own world.  They did so brutally, but with considerable success.

After WWII, Western Europe had the chance to rebuild its own world, and did a great job.

We moderns are not used to having to rebuild our world.

It is now the case that strong AI is here/coming, and we will have to rebuild our own world.  Many of us are terrified at this prospect, others are just extremely pessimistic.  It seems so impossible.  How are all the new pieces supposed to fit together?  Who amongst us can explain that process in a reassuring way?

Yet we have done it many times before.  Not always with success, however.  After WWI ended, Europe was supposed to rebuild its own world, but they came up with something far worse than what they had before.  Nonetheless, in the broader sweep of history world rebuilding projects have had positive expected value.

And so we will rebuilding our world yet again.  Or maybe you think we are simply incapable of that.

As this happens, it can be useful to distinguish “criticisms of AI” from “people who cannot imagine that world rebuilding will go well.”  A lot of what parades as the former is actually the latter.

In any case, it all will be quite something to witness.