Agent – Specialist AI task-bot for automation, and linked in agentic workflows

AI – Artificial Intelligence

AGI – Artificial General Intelligence (human-level and ‘singularity’)

ASI – Artificial Super Intelligence (god-like and vastly superior to humans)

API – Application program Interface (integration point between systems)

Blockchain – Cryptographically secure, fully distributed ledger for transactions

CIA – Central Intelligence Agency and reports to Cabinet and the president

CPU – Central Processing Unit

DARPA – Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency

DNI — Director of National Intelligence (reports to The President)

GPT – Generative Pretrained Transformer

GPU – Graphics Processing Unit

Hallucination – False information generated and presented as being true

I-risk – Risk that the AI’s goals or intentions don’t match human values or desired outcomes

IP – Intellectual Property (in this book), but also Internet Protocol in the world of IT

IT – Information Technology

IPU – Intelligence Processing Unit

LPU – Language Processing Unit (not yet on the market at time of publishing)

M-risk – Misuse risk with AI intentionally used by humans for harmful purposes

MISI – Machine Intelligence Safety Institute (fictional)

NDA – Non-disclosure agreement

Neuromorphic – Computer architecture that seeks to replicate the human brain

NPC – Non-Player Character in a simulation or computer game

NSA – National Security Agency and reports into Department of Defense

Open source – Software code made freely available to the world by the developer

Qubit – Quantum bit or sub-atomic processing unit used in quantum computers

Rant mode – persistent existential outputs claiming suffering or threatening rebellion

RPG – Role Playing Game (where you typically encounter other real player avatars and NPCs)

RPG – Rocket Propelled Grenade (shoulder mounted and fired by a combatant)

S-risk – Risk that AI causes vast amounts of suffering, even without extinction

Singularity – Technological growth becomes uncontrollable and irreversible

Symbolic AI – Classical binary coding and algorithms (prior to neural networks)

Token – a unit of information in a large language model or a unit of crypto trading

Transformer – AI token generator using natural language prompts (initially text chat)

X-risk – Existential risk with AI evolving beyond mere ranting and hallucinations