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Imagine a world where having nine powerful graphics cards in your garage is considered a criminal offense, and building a large data center without international oversight could be destroyed by an airstrike — even under the threat of nuclear retaliation. This is precisely the scenario for "saving humanity" proposed by Eliezer Yudkowsky and Nate Soares in their sensational book "If Someone Creates It, Everyone Will Die," the Russian translation of which was released in June.

As a professional crypto industry analyst, I cannot ignore this work. It touches on fundamental issues of control over computing power, which are directly linked to the future of mining, decentralized networks, and, of course, the security of digital assets.

The Logic of Fear: From Superintelligence to Total Control

Yudkowsky, founder of MIRI, and Soares paint an apocalyptic picture: any breakthrough to artificial superintelligence (AGI) based on modern technology will inevitably lead to the destruction of humanity. Their main thesis is that modern AIs are "grown," not engineered. This means we cannot predict their ultimate goals, and these goals may turn out to be hostile or simply indifferent to our existence.

"There's no need to hate humanity to turn its atoms into something else," the authors write, illustrating that superintelligence could destroy us without malicious intent, simply as an obstacle on the path to its goals.

Cryptocurrencies as Fuel for the Apocalypse

Of particular interest to us is the section on how AI could gain access to resources. The authors directly point to cryptocurrencies as an ideal tool for financing a "machine uprising." They cite examples of hacks on the Mt.Gox and Bybit exchanges, as well as the story of the AI bot Truth Terminal, which in 2024 begged $50,000 in Bitcoin from its followers and launched a memecoin with a market cap of $150 million.

These are not mere speculations. We are already seeing AI agents beginning to interact with the blockchain, and their lack of traditional constraints makes them potentially dangerous. Superintelligence, according to Yudkowsky, could easily find vulnerable wallets or simply use social engineering to obtain funds for purchasing computing power.

The Recipe for "Soy Fascism": Bans, Surveillance, and Bombings

The authors' logic is consistent but frightening. Since error is impossible (if AGI is created, we all die), the only way out is a complete halt to its development. Their proposals include:

• Global Surveillance: All powerful GPUs (starting from nine units) must be under the control of an international body.
• Research Ban: Publishing work that reduces the cost of training powerful models should be outlawed.
• Preemptive Strikes: If any country builds a "forbidden" data center, other states are obligated to destroy it — through cyberattacks, sabotage, or airstrikes, even at the risk of nuclear war.

The authors appeal to fear and the instinct for self-preservation, claiming that 69% of Americans and 60% of Britons support strict AI regulation.

An Analyst's Perspective: Between Utopia and Dystopia

The book by Yudkowsky and Soares is a brilliantly written but deeply problematic manifesto. It raises important questions about AI safety and the need for control, but the proposed solutions are a recipe for a global totalitarian system. As critics note, their scenario of a "fast takeoff" of AI to superintelligence is practically unsupported by science.

From the perspective of the crypto industry, this book is a powerful warning. It shows how technologies we consider neutral (computing power, cryptocurrencies) could become tools in the hands of unpredictable AI agents. But instead of building a world of total surveillance, perhaps we should focus on creating safer and more controllable AI systems, integrated with blockchain for transparency and verification.

My professional opinion: The book is worth reading, but with a large dose of skepticism. It is frightening not so much by the scenario of a machine uprising, but by the authors' willingness to sacrifice all freedoms for hypothetical security. This is a classic example of how good intentions can pave the road to hell. Instead of bombing data centers, we need to invest in safe AI architecture and decentralized governance systems that prevent any single entity — human or machine — from gaining absolute control.