A farmer in New Zealand warned of technology and AI doom in 1863

A New Zealand sheep farmer’s letter about AI doom has resurfaced, 161 years after it was published in a Christchurch-based newspaper.

The warning, written by Samuel Butler, has since been spread around on social media as people take in the thoughts of a man well ahead of his time.

‘Darwin among the Machines’ was a letter sent to the editor of ‘The Press’ newspaper and was published on June 13, 1863 under the pseudonym Cellarius.

Wow – the question of pausing or stopping AI is over 161 years old pic.twitter.com/MeXgg55PTN

— Peter Wildeford