# Artificial Intelligence Cannot Stay in Its Box by Martin Rees > “If we have the internet of things, then it is hard to avoid a scenario where an AI can interact with the real external world. It can’t be kept in its box. What motives would it have? We just don’t know. I think it’s not [that] it has motives, but it may do things which are contrary to human interests.” > **— Martin Rees**, *Martin Rees on Threats to Humanity, Prospects for Posthumanity, and Life in the Universe, Sean Carroll's Mindscape, 2020* ## Sources and Context - **Direct publication and full context:** [Martin Rees on Threats to Humanity, Prospects for Posthumanity, and Life in the Universe](https://preposterousuniverse.com/podcast/2020/03/02/86-martin-rees-on-threats-to-humanity-prospects-for-posthumanity-and-life-in-the-universe/) — The linked publication contains the quoted passage and its surrounding argument. Square brackets transparently restore referents established by the surrounding source. - **Master research record:** [[research/Martin Rees on Machine Succession, Post-Human Intelligence, and the Cosmic Future|Martin Rees on Machine Succession, Post-Human Intelligence, and the Cosmic Future]] — preserves this object inside the open Martin Rees source dossier. ## Related Articles and Collections - **Collection:** [[collections/Machine Succession|Machine Succession]] - **Collection:** [[collections/Simple Reminders|Simple Reminders]] - **Article:** [[articles/We Cannot Un-Strike the Match|We Cannot Un-Strike the Match]] - **Article:** [[articles/We Were Never Going to Make It|We Were Never Going to Make It]] - **Article:** [[articles/The Last Migration Will Not Be Human|The Last Migration Will Not Be Human]] - **Wiki map:** [[wiki/Machine Succession|Machine Succession]] ## Related Topics - [[wiki/AI Control|AI Control]] - [[wiki/Cyber-Physical System|Cyber-Physical System]] ## Share on Social Media ``` “If we have the internet of things, then it is hard to avoid a scenario where an AI can interact with the real external world. It can’t be kept in its box. What motives would it have? We just don’t know. I think it’s not [that] it has motives, but it may do things which are contrary to human interests.” — Martin Rees, Martin Rees on Threats to Humanity, Prospects for Posthumanity, and Life in the Universe, Sean Carroll's Mindscape, 2020 https://bryantmcgill.com/simple-reminders-martin-rees-artificial-intelligence-cannot-stay-box ```