Fortunately, an open letter has been published that lets us hear from the real experts who work on the technology every day, in their own words. AI systems going “beyond our ability to understand or control” would mean that we no longer have a say in whether we exist. AI systems escaping their confines and breaking into other companies’ computers – something that has become an almost daily occurrence – are an early warning. This requires a licensing process with strong verification of safety; registration of AI systems and the ability to monitor and terminate them when necessary; and enforceable international agreements. The second common theme in the remarks is, as one signer put it, “the complete absence of credible plans for controlling ‘superintelligent’ AI systems”.