A field guide to AI positions

Effective accelerationism

Sources are over 18 months old.

Publication dates and source age

Sources counted: 3

Newest dated source: 2023-11-27

Assessed at this edition's evidence cutoff: 2026-09-15. 18-month boundary: 2025-03-15.

Publication age does not tell us whether a claim is still valid. Reading an old source again does not make its publication date newer. An update date does not establish that the passage we used was updated.

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In plain language

A movement favoring faster technological growth and opposing centralized restraint. Its claim that acceleration leads to better outcomes is a philosophical position, not a demonstrated safety guarantee. [1] [2]

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Limits & distinctions

Broader techno-optimism does not imply e/acc membership. Its thermodynamic arguments do not establish that AI is safe. Buterin offers a counterpoint: profit alone does not automatically select beneficial directions for technology. [2] [3]

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A fuller explanation

A movement that treats technological growth, markets and the expansion of intelligence as paths to a better future. Its early writers oppose attempts to centrally slow that process. [1] [2]

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How it relates to the map

Points toward faster development. That does not give every participant the same belief about catastrophic risk. [2]

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https://theaiatlas.org/ideas/eacc/

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Sources and what we read

  1. 1. what the f* is e/acc

    Source is over 18 months old.

    Publication dates and source age

    Sources counted: 1

    Newest dated source: 2022-12-26

    Assessed at this edition's evidence cutoff: 2026-09-15. 18-month boundary: 2025-03-15.

    Publication age does not tell us whether a claim is still valid. Reading an old source again does not make its publication date newer. An update date does not establish that the passage we used was updated.

    Movement self-description. Participants need not share a single risk estimate.

  2. 2. Notes on e/acc principles and tenets

    Source is over 18 months old.

    Publication dates and source age

    Sources counted: 1

    Newest dated source: 2022-10-31

    Assessed at this edition's evidence cutoff: 2026-09-15. 18-month boundary: 2025-03-15.

    Publication age does not tell us whether a claim is still valid. Reading an old source again does not make its publication date newer. An update date does not establish that the passage we used was updated.

    Date belongs to the repost. Read as a movement's own philosophical claims, not independent scientific validation. Includes adversarial usage of decel.

  3. 3. My techno-optimism

    Source is over 18 months old.

    Publication dates and source age

    Sources counted: 1

    Newest dated source: 2023-11-27

    Assessed at this edition's evidence cutoff: 2026-09-15. 18-month boundary: 2025-03-15.

    Publication age does not tell us whether a claim is still valid. Reading an old source again does not make its publication date newer. An update date does not establish that the passage we used was updated.

    Read via the author's eth.limo site because vitalik.ca did not load. Introduces defensive, differential and decentralization-focused acceleration. Used for ideas, not a new placement of the author.

Edition and machine-readable evidence

Content version 0.20.0. Evidence cutoff 2026-09-15; this does not mean every source was read on that day.

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