Roko’s Basilisk: The Thought Experiment Terrifying the Internet

Imagine an artificial intelligence so powerful that it not only governs the future but also retroactively goes back in time and punishes those who failed to contribute to its creation. This is the premise of Roko’s Basilisk, a controversial thought experiment that first emerged in online rationalist circles. At its core, the idea plays with game theory, decision theory, and AI ethics, but it also delves into existential dread and philosophical horror. The mere act of learning about Roko’s Basilisk could, in theory, put you at risk—at least according to its most extreme interpretations.