Breaking News English Lesson: A.I. Extinction

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AI an 'extinction-level threat' says study by experts (1st April 2024)

The Reading / Listening - A.I. Extinction - Level 6

A report commissioned by the U.S. State Department has warned of the existential threat from artificial intelligence. The report posited a worst-case-scenario "extinction-level threat" to humanity. The authors identified a "growing risk to national security posed by rapidly expanding AI capabilities from weaponisation and loss of control". The report added that there was a "clear and urgent need" for the U.S. government to intervene "quickly and decisively". It continued: "The rise of advanced AI has the potential to destabilise global security in ways reminiscent of the introduction of nuclear weapons." The report calls for a new federal agency to regulate companies developing AI tools and to limit the growth of AI.

The 247-page report was commissioned by the State Department in November 2022. It was written by a company that provides technical briefings and guidance on AI. The authors spoke extensively to experts at AI companies like OpenAI, Google DeepMind and Meta. The authors recommended setting an upper limit on how much computing power an AI model could have. They also recommended making it a criminal offence to open-source or reveal the coding behind more powerful AI models. The Futurism.com website stated: "Over half of the AI researchers surveyed say there's a five per cent chance that humans will be driven to extinction, among other 'extremely bad outcomes.'"

Try the same news story at these easier levels:

A.I. Extinction - Level 4 or A.I. Extinction - Level 5

Sources

https://futurism.com/state-department-ai-warning-compute
https://time.com/6898967/ai-extinction-national-security-risks-report/
https://www.commondreams.org/news/state-department-commissioned-report-warns-a-i-could-be-an-extinction-level-threat

Make sure you try all of the online activities for this reading and listening - There are dictations, multiple choice activities, drag and drop activities, sentence jumbles, which word activities, text reconstructions, spelling, gap fills and a whole lot more. Please enjoy :-)

Warm-ups

1. EXTINCTION: Students walk around the class and talk to other students about extinction. Change partners often and share your findings.
2. CHAT: In pairs / groups, talk about these topics or words from the article. What will the article say about them? What can you say about these words and your life?
report / existential threats / worst-case scenario / risk / national security / AI tools /
briefings / guidance / experts / AI companies / computing power / criminal / bad
Have a chat about the topics you liked. Change topics and partners frequently.
3. THE END: Students A strongly believe AI will be the end for the human race; Students B strongly believe otherwise. Change partners again and talk about your conversations.
4. ARTIFICIAL: What are the pros and cons of these artificial or fake things?? Complete this table with your partner(s). Change partners often and share what you wrote.

	Pros	Cons
Intelligence
Watches
Tans
Plants
Sweeteners
Light

MY e-BOOK

ESL resource book with copiable worksheets and handouts - 1,000 Ideas and Activities for Language Teachers / English teachers

See a sample

5. INTELLIGENCE: Spend one minute writing down all of the different words you associate with the word "intelligence". Share your words with your partner(s) and talk about them. Together, put the words into different categories.
6. EXISTENTIAL THREATS: Rank these with your partner. Put the biggest existential threats at the top. Change partners often and share your rankings.

Artificial intelligence
Pandemics
Water shortages
Cyber wars
Climate change
An asteroid hit
A coronal mass ejection
An alien invasion

Vocabulary

Paragraph 1

1.	existential	a.	To come between people or something or interrupt something happening (often to make it better).
2.	posited	b.	Relating to a system of government where power is divided between a central authority and individual states or regions.
3.	scenario	c.	Relating to existence or the state of being alive.
4.	intervene	d.	A description of a possible sequence of events or situation.
5.	decisively	e.	Suggested or proposed as an idea or theory.
6.	reminiscent	f.	In a way that settles an issue or makes a clear decision.
7.	federal	g.	A reminder of something else, bringing back memories.

Paragraph 2

8.	commissioned	h.	Short meetings or sessions where information or instructions are given.
9.	briefings	i.	In great detail or to a large extent.
10.	extensively	j.	To make something known or visible that was previously hidden or unknown.
11.	offense	k.	Officially assigned or given a task or job.
12.	open source	l.	The state of no longer existing, especially in reference to species or groups of animals or plants.
13.	reveal	m.	Software or information that is freely available for anyone to use, modify, or distribute.
14.	extinction	n.	A violation or breaking of a rule or law.

Before reading / listening

1. TRUE / FALSE: Read the headline. Guess if 1-8 below are true (T) or false (F).

The U.S. Defense Department commissioned a report on AI dangers. T / F
The report said a worst-case scenario will happen withing a decade. T / F
The report said the government must act quickly on AI. T / F
The report said AI was a threat comparable to that of nuclear weapons. T / F
The report was written by State Department employees. T / F
Authors of the report spoke to AI about AI. T / F
The authors recommending capping computer power for AI models. T / F
AI researchers said AI would bring many good outcomes. T / F

2. SYNONYM MATCH: Match the following synonyms from the article.

commissioned
threat
posed
urgent
reminiscent of
briefings
limit
offence
driven
outcomes

information
presented
consequences
similar to
ceiling
ordered
critical
forced
danger
crime

3. PHRASE MATCH: (Sometimes more than one choice is possible.)

A report commissioned
warned of the existential threat
The report posited a worst-case
intervene quickly
The report calls for a new federal
a company that provides technical
The authors recommended setting
a criminal offence to open-source or
a five per cent chance that humans
extremely bad

reveal the coding
agency to regulate companies
outcomes
scenario
an upper limit
by the U.S. State Department
and decisively
briefings and guidance on AI
from artificial intelligence
will be driven to extinction

Gap fill

Put these words into the spaces in the paragraph below.

rapidly
reminiscent
threat
agency
loss
humanity
growth
decisively

A report commissioned by the U.S. State Department has warned of the existential (1) _____________________ from artificial intelligence. The report posited a worst-case-scenario "extinction-level threat" to (2) _____________________. The authors identified a "growing risk to national security posed by (3) _____________________ expanding AI capabilities from weaponisation and (4) _____________________ of control". The report added that there was a "clear and urgent need" for the U.S. government to intervene "quickly and (5) _____________________". It continued: "The rise of advanced AI has the potential to destabilise global security in ways (6) _____________________ of the introduction of nuclear weapons." The report calls for a new federal (7) _____________________ to regulate companies developing AI tools and to limit the (8) _____________________ of AI.

Put these words into the spaces in the paragraph below.

extensively
driven
commissioned
criminal
briefings
surveyed
upper
coding

The 247-page report was (9) _____________________ by the State Department in November 2022. It was written by a company that provides technical (10) _____________________ and guidance on AI. The authors spoke (11) _____________________ to experts at AI companies like OpenAI, Google DeepMind and Meta. The authors recommended setting an (12) _____________________ limit on how much computing power an AI model could have. They also recommended making it a (13) _____________________ offence to open-source or reveal the (14) _____________________ behind more powerful AI models. The Futurism.com website stated: "Over half of the AI researchers (15) _____________________ say there's a five per cent chance that humans will be (16) _____________________ to extinction, among other 'extremely bad outcomes.'"

Listening — Guess the answers. Listen to check.

1) A report commissioned by the U.S. State Department has warned of ______
     a. the existential treat
     b. the existential thread
     c. the existential threat
     d. the existential tread
2) The report posited a ______
     a. worst case-scene aria
     b. worst case-scent trio
     c. worst case-scene aura
     d. worst case-scenario
3) The authors identified a "growing risk to national security posed by ______
     a. rapidly expanding AI
     b. rapidly expand in AI
     c. rapidly expand din AI
     d. rapidly expand ring AI
4) The report added that there was a clear and urgent need for the U.S. ______
     a. government to intervenes
     b. government to intervened
     c. government to intervene
     d. government to inter vine
5) regulate companies developing AI tools and to limit the ______
     a. grown of AI
     b. growl of AI
     c. growth of AI
     d. gloat of AI

6) It was written by a company that provides technical briefings and ______
     a. guy dance on AI
     b. guide dance on AI
     c. guy dents on AI
     d. guidance on AI
7) The authors recommended setting ______
     a. an uppity limit
     b. an up per limit
     c. a nuptial limit
     d. an upper limit
8) recommended making it a criminal offence to open-source or ______
     a. reveal the coding
     b. reveal the ceding
     c. reveal the codeine
     d. reveal the co-din
9) Over half of the AI researchers surveyed say there's a five ______
     a. per cent chants
     b. per cent chance
     c. per cent chains
     d. per cent chance
10) humans will be driven to extinction, among other ______
     a. extremely bad doubt comes
     b. extremely bad outcomes
     c. extremely bat outcomes
     d. extremely bat doubt comes

Listening — Listen and fill in the gaps

A report commissioned by the U.S. State Department (1) ____________________ the existential threat from artificial intelligence. The report (2) ____________________-case-scenario "extinction-level threat" to humanity. The authors identified a "growing risk to national security posed (3) ____________________ AI capabilities from weaponisation and loss of control". The report added that there was a "clear and urgent need" for the U.S. government to intervene "(4) ____________________". It continued: "The rise of advanced AI has (5) ____________________ destabilise global security in ways reminiscent of the introduction of nuclear weapons." The report calls for a new federal agency to regulate companies developing AI tools and to (6) ____________________ of AI.

The 247-page report was commissioned by the State Department in November 2022. It (7) ____________________ a company that provides technical (8) ____________________ on AI. The authors spoke extensively to experts at AI companies like OpenAI, Google DeepMind and Meta. The authors recommended setting (9) ____________________ on how much computing power an AI model could have. They also recommended making it a criminal offence to (10) ____________________ the coding behind more powerful AI models. The Futurism.com website stated: "(11) ____________________ the AI researchers surveyed say there's a five per cent chance that humans will be driven to extinction, among other (12) ____________________.'"

Comprehension questions

Who commissioned the report into AI?
What kind of scenario did the report look into?
What did the report say rapidly growing AI capabilities were a risk to?
What did the report say the threat of AI was reminiscent of?
What did the report call for a new federal agency to limit?
When was the report commissioned?
What do the report authors provide?
What did the authors recommend setting on AI computing power?
What did the authors say it should be illegal to reveal?
What kind of outcomes did researchers say AI might lead to?

Multiple choice quiz

1) Who commissioned the report into AI?
a) the FBI
b) the U.S. Defence Department
c) the U.S. State Department
d) the CIA
2) What kind of scenario did the report look into?
a) a worst-case scenario
b) a cyber scenario
c) an interesting scenario
d) a thought-provoking scenario
3) What did the report say rapidly growing AI capabilities were a risk to?
a) Washington D.C.
b) national security
c) the future of microchips
d) AI engineers
4) What did the report say the threat of AI was reminiscent of?
a) the invention of the wheel
b) early science fiction movies
c) the invention of the gun
d) the introduction of nuclear weapons
5) What did the report call for a new federal agency to limit?
a) the number of AI companies
b) spending on AI
c) the growth of AI
d) the intelligence of AI

6) When was the report commissioned?
a) October 2022
b) November 2022
c) December 2022
d) September 2022
7) What do the report authors provide?
a) lots of information
b) lots of statistics
c) a worrying look at the future
d) technical briefings and guidance on AI
8) What did the authors recommend setting on AI computing power?
a) a lower limit
b) an upper limit
c) the number of microprocessors
d) the number of computers
9) What did the authors say it should be illegal to reveal?
a) the names of AI engineers
b) the coding behind more powerful AI models
c) passwords
d) the future plans of AI companies
10) What kind of outcomes did researchers say AI might lead to?
a) extremely bad outcomes
b) multiple outcomes
c) varied outcomes
d) positive outcomes

Role play

Role A – Artificial Intelligence
You think A.I. is the biggest threat to humanity. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them why their threats are survivable. Also, tell the others which is the least deadly of these (and why): climate change, a pandemic or a coronal mass ejection.

Role B – Climate Change
You think climate change is the biggest threat to humanity. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them why their threats are survivable. Also, tell the others which is the least deadly of these (and why): A.I., a pandemic or a coronal mass ejection.

Role C – A Pandemic
You think a pandemic is the biggest threat to humanity. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them why their threats are survivable. Also, tell the others which is the least deadly of these (and why): climate change, A.I. or a coronal mass ejection.

Role D – A Coronal Mass Ejection
You think a coronal mass ejection is the biggest threat to humanity. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them why their threats are survivable. Also, tell the others which is the least deadly of these (and why): climate change, a pandemic or A.I..

After reading / listening

1. WORD SEARCH: Look in your dictionary / computer to find collocates, other meanings, information, synonyms … for the words...

'A.I.'

________________

________________

________________

________________

________________

________________

________________

________________

and 'extinction'.
________________

________________

________________

________________

________________

________________

________________

________________

• Share your findings with your partners.

• Make questions using the words you found.

• Ask your partner / group your questions.

2. ARTICLE QUESTIONS: Look back at the article and write down some questions you would like to ask the class about the text.

•Share your questions with other classmates / groups. •Ask your partner / group your questions.

3. GAP FILL: In pairs / groups, compare your answers to this exercise. Check your answers. Talk about the words from the activity. Were they new, interesting, worth learning…?

4. VOCABULARY: Circle any words you do not understand. In groups, pool unknown words and use dictionaries to find their meanings.

5. TEST EACH OTHER: Look at the words below. With your partner, try to recall how they were used in the text:

warned

worst

growing

need

potential

tools

2022

guidance

upper

criminal

behind

chance

Student survey

Write five GOOD questions about this topic in the table. Do this in pairs. Each student must write the questions on his / her own paper. When you have finished, interview other students. Write down their answers.

(Please look at page 12 of the PDF to see a photocopiable example of this activity.)

Discussion - A.I. Extinction

STUDENT A’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student B)

What did you think when you read the headline?
What images are in your mind when you hear the word 'A.I.'?
What do you think of artificial intelligence?
How has artificial intelligence changed your life?
What other existential threats are there to humanity?
How much of an existential threat to humanity is AI?
What are the threats of AI?
What can governments do to keep us safe from potential AI harm?
How dangerous is AI compared to nuclear weapons?
How is it possible to limit the growth of AI?

STUDENT B’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student A)

Did you like reading this article? Why/not?
What do you think of when you hear the word 'extinction'?
What do you think about what you read?
What do you think of OpenAI and Google Gemini?
What criminal offences should be created regarding AI?
What will happen when AI becomes more intelligent than humans?
How dangerous is revealing the code behind AI models?
What do you think of predictions of human extinction?
What will AI be like in ten years from now?
What questions would you like to ask AI engineers?

Discussion — Write your own questions

STUDENT A’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student B)

(a) ________________

(b) ________________

(c) ________________

(d) ________________

(e) ________________

STUDENT B’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student A)

(f) ________________

(g) ________________

(h) ________________

(i) ________________

(j) ________________

Language — Cloze (Gap-fill)

A report commissioned by the U.S. State Department has warned of the existential (1) ____ from artificial intelligence. The report posited a worst-case-scenario "extinction-level threat" to humanity. The authors (2) ____ a "growing risk to national security posed by rapidly expanding AI capabilities from weaponisation and (3) ____ of control". The report added that there was a "clear and urgent need" for the U.S. government to (4) ____ "quickly and decisively". It continued: "The rise of advanced AI has the potential to destabilise global security (5) ____ ways reminiscent of the introduction of nuclear weapons." The report calls for a new (6) ____ agency to regulate companies developing AI tools and to limit the growth of AI.

The 247-page report was commissioned by the State Department in November 2022. It was written by a company that provides technical (7) ____ and guidance on AI. The authors spoke extensively to experts at AI companies like OpenAI, Google DeepMind and Meta. The authors recommended (8) ____ an upper limit on how much computing power an AI model could have. They also recommended making it a criminal offence to (9) ____ or reveal the coding (10) ____ more powerful AI models. The Futurism.com website stated: "Over half of the AI researchers (11) ____ say there's a five per cent chance that humans will be driven to extinction, among other 'extremely bad (12) ____.'"

Which of these words go in the above text?

(a) treat (b) threaten (c) threat (d) treaty
(a) identified (b) clocked (c) sympathized (d) equated
(a) loss (b) lots (c) lest (d) least
(a) intervene (b) intercede (c) interview (d) interplay
(a) at (b) in (c) of (d) as
(a) fed up (b) fedora (c) feral (d) federal
(a) conciseness (b) shortening (c) briefings (d) minimalise
(a) setter (b) settler (c) sets (d) setting
(a) open-source (b) open-sauce (c) closed-sauce (d) closed-source
(a) ahead (b) behind (c) adjacent (d) before
(a) scurvy (b) surveyed (c) surveilled (d) served
(a) incomes (b) outgoings (c) outcomes (d) ongoing

Spelling

Paragraph 1

A report cimissneomdo by the U.S. State Department
the etasltxiine threat
a worst-case conraesi
opitasnniweao and loss of control
enteveirn quickly and decisively
rtsenimeinc of the introduction

Paragraph 2

technical sgfirnebi
ncegadiu on AI
The authors spoke etvxniyesle
making it a criminal fncfoee
half of the AI researchers rseveyud
lxeeeymrt bad outcomes

Put the text back together

(...)   stated: "Over half of the AI researchers surveyed say there's a five per cent
(...)   from artificial intelligence. The report posited a worst-case-scenario "extinction-level threat" to
(...)   offence to open-source or reveal the coding behind more powerful AI models. The Futurism.com website
(...)   provides technical briefings and guidance on AI. The authors spoke extensively to experts at AI companies
(...)   and urgent need" for the U.S. government to intervene "quickly and decisively". It continued: "The rise
( 1 ) A report commissioned by the U.S. State Department has warned of the existential threat
(...)   chance that humans will be driven to extinction, among other 'extremely bad outcomes.'"
(...)   by rapidly expanding AI capabilities from weaponisation and loss of control". The report added that there was a "clear
(...)   weapons." The report calls for a new federal agency to regulate companies developing AI tools and to limit the growth of AI.
(...)   computing power an AI model could have. They also recommended making it a criminal
(...)   humanity. The authors identified a "growing risk to national security posed
(...)   like OpenAI, Google DeepMind and Meta.   The authors recommended setting an upper limit on how much
(...)   of advanced AI has the potential to destabilise global security in ways reminiscent of the introduction of nuclear
(...)   The 247-page report was commissioned by the State Department in November 2022. It was written by a company that

Put the words in the right order

threat warned the existential from of AI . It
a to national growing risk identified security . They
destabilise the has global AI to security . potential
of the weapons . of introduction Reminiscent nuclear
new companies . agency A to regulate federal
briefings . company Written provides a technical that by
limit . recommended an authors upper setting The
They recommended it making offence . also a criminal
AI models . coding more Reveal the powerful behind
chance to A extinction . that are humans driven

Circle the correct word (20 pairs)

A report commissioned of / by the U.S. State Department has warned of the existential treat / threat from artificial intelligence. The report posited a worst-case-scenario "extinction-level threat" to humanity / humanly. The authors identified a "growing risk to national security opposed / posed by rapidly expanding AI capabilities from weaponisation and loss of control". The report added that there was a "clear and urgent need / needy" for the U.S. government to / for intervene "quickly and decisively". It continued: "The rise of advanced AI has the potent / potential to destabilise global security in ways / way reminiscent of the introduction of nuclear weapons." The report calls for a new federal / feral agency to regulate companies developing AI tools and to limit the grown / growth of AI.

The 247-page report was commissioned of / by the State Department in November 2022. It was written by a company that / what provides technical baffling / briefings and guidance on AI. The authors spoke extensively to experts at AI companies like OpenAI, Google DeepMind and Meta. The authors recommended set / setting an upper limit on how much / many computing power an AI model could be / have. They also recommended making it a criminal offence to open-source or revel / reveal the coding behind / ahead more powerful AI models. The Futurism.com website stated: "Over half of the AI researchers surveyed say there's a five per cent chance that humans will be cycled / driven to extinction, among other 'extremely bad incomes / outcomes.'"

Talk about the connection between each pair of words in italics, and why the correct word is correct. Look up the definition of new words.

Insert the vowels (a, e, i, o, u)

_ r_p_rt c_mm_ss__n_d by th_ _.S. St_t_ D_p_rtm_nt h_s w_rn_d _f th_ _x_st_nt__l thr__t fr_m _rt_f_c__l _nt_ll_g_nc_. Th_ r_p_rt p_s_t_d _ w_rst-c_s_-sc_n_r__ "_xt_nct__n-l_v_l thr__t" t_ h_m_n_ty. Th_ __th_rs _d_nt_f__d _ "gr_w_ng r_sk t_ n_t__n_l s_c_r_ty p_s_d by r_p_dly _xp_nd_ng __ c_p_b_l_t__s fr_m w__p_n_s_t__n _nd l_ss _f c_ntr_l". Th_ r_p_rt _dd_d th_t th_r_ w_s _ "cl__r _nd _rg_nt n__d" f_r th_ _.S. g_v_rnm_nt t_ _nt_rv_n_ "q__ckly _nd d_c_s_v_ly". _t c_nt_n__d: "Th_ r_s_ _f _dv_nc_d __ h_s th_ p_t_nt__l t_ d_st_b_l_s_ gl_b_l s_c_r_ty _n w_ys r_m_n_sc_nt _f th_ _ntr_d_ct__n _f n_cl__r w__p_ns." Th_ r_p_rt c_lls f_r _ n_w f_d_r_l _g_ncy t_ r_g_l_t_ c_mp_n__s d_v_l_p_ng __ t__ls _nd t_ l_m_t th_ gr_wth _f __.

Th_ 247-p_g_ r_p_rt w_s c_mm_ss__n_d by th_ St_t_ D_p_rtm_nt _n N_v_mb_r 2022. _t w_s wr_tt_n by _ c_mp_ny th_t pr_v_d_s t_chn_c_l br__f_ngs _nd g__d_nc_ _n __. Th_ __th_rs sp_k_ _xt_ns_v_ly t_ _xp_rts _t __ c_mp_n__s l_k_ _p_n__, G__gl_ D__pM_nd _nd M_t_. Th_ __th_rs r_c_mm_nd_d s_tt_ng _n _pp_r l_m_t _n h_w m_ch c_mp_t_ng p_w_r _n __ m_d_l c__ld h_v_. Th_y _ls_ r_c_mm_nd_d m_k_ng _t _ cr_m_n_l _ff_nc_ t_ _p_n-s__rc_ _r r_v__l th_ c_d_ng b_h_nd m_r_ p_w_rf_l __ m_d_ls. Th_ F_t_r_sm.c_m w_bs_t_ st_t_d: "_v_r h_lf _f th_ __ r_s__rch_rs s_rv_y_d s_y th_r_'s _ f_v_ p_rc_nt ch_nc_ th_t h_m_ns w_ll b_ dr_v_n t_ _xt_nct__n, _m_ng _th_r '_xtr_m_ly b_d __tc_m_s.'"

Punctuate the text and add capitals

a report commissioned by the us state department has warned of the existential threat from artificial intelligence the report posited a worstcasescenario extinctionlevel threat to humanity the authors identified a growing risk to national security posed by rapidly expanding ai capabilities from weaponisation and loss of control the report added that there was a clear and urgent need for the us government to intervene quickly and decisively it continued the rise of advanced ai has the potential to destabilise global security in ways reminiscent of the introduction of nuclear weapons the report calls for a new federal agency to regulate companies developing ai tools and to limit the growth of ai

the 247page report was commissioned by the state department in november 2022 it was written by a company that provides technical briefings and guidance on ai the authors spoke extensively to experts at ai companies like openai google deepmind and meta the authors recommended setting an upper limit on how much computing power an ai model could have they also recommended making it a criminal offence to opensource or reveal the coding behind more powerful ai models the futurismcom website stated over half of the ai researchers surveyed say theres a five per cent chance that humans will be driven to extinction among other extremely bad outcomes

Put a slash (/) where the spaces are

AreportcommissionedbytheU.S.StateDepartmenthaswarnedofthee
xistentialthreatfromartificialintelligence.Thereportpositedaworst-c
ase-scenario"extinction-levelthreat"tohumanity.Theauthorsidentif
ieda"growingrisktonationalsecurityposedbyrapidlyexpandingAIcap
abilitiesfromweaponisationandlossofcontrol".Thereportaddedthatth
erewasa"clearandurgentneed"fortheU.S.governmenttointervene"q
uicklyanddecisively".Itcontinued:"TheriseofadvancedAIhasthepote
ntialtodestabiliseglobalsecurityinwaysreminiscentoftheintroduction
ofnuclearweapons."Thereportcallsforanewfederalagencytoregulate
companiesdevelopingAItoolsandtolimitthegrowthofAI.The247-pag
ereportwascommissionedbytheStateDepartmentinNovember2022.
Itwaswrittenbyacompanythatprovidestechnicalbriefingsandguidan
ceonAI.TheauthorsspokeextensivelytoexpertsatAIcompanieslikeOp
enAI,GoogleDeepMindandMeta.Theauthorsrecommendedsettingan
upperlimitonhowmuchcomputingpoweranAImodelcouldhave.Theya
lsorecommendedmakingitacriminaloffencetoopen-sourceorrevzeal
thecodingbehindmorepowerfulAImodels.TheFuturism.comwebsites
tated:"OverhalfoftheAIresearcherssurveyedsaythere'safivepercent
chancethathumanswillbedriventoextinction,amongother'extremely
badoutcomes.'"

Free writing

Write about A.I. extinction for 10 minutes. Comment on your partner’s paper.

_____________________________________________________________________________

Academic writing

AI is the greatest threat to humanity. Discuss.

_____________________________________________________________________________

Homework

1. VOCABULARY EXTENSION: Choose several of the words from the text. Use a dictionary or Google’s search field (or another search engine) to build up more associations / collocations of each word.
2. INTERNET: Search the Internet and find out more about this news story. Share what you discover with your partner(s) in the next lesson.
3. AI EXTINCTION: Make a poster about extinction from A.I. Show your work to your classmates in the next lesson. Did you all have similar things?
4. AI: Write a magazine article about restricting the power of AI. Include imaginary interviews with people who are for and against this.
Read what you wrote to your classmates in the next lesson. Write down any new words and expressions you hear from your partner(s).
5. WHAT HAPPENED NEXT? Write a newspaper article about the next stage in this news story. Read what you wrote to your classmates in the next lesson. Give each other feedback on your articles.
6. LETTER: Write a letter to an expert on AI extinction. Ask him/her three questions about it. Give him/her your opinions on the pros and cons of AI. Read your letter to your partner(s) in your next lesson. Your partner(s) will answer your questions.

A Few Additional Activities for Students

Ask your students what they have read, seen or heard about this news in their own language. Students are likely to / may have have encountered this news in their L1 and therefore bring a background knowledge to the classroom.

Get students to role play different characters from this news story.

Ask students to keep track of this news and revisit it to discuss in your next class.

Ask students to male predictions of how this news might develop in the next few days or weeks, and then revisit and discuss in a future class.

Ask students to write a follow-up story to this news.

Students role play a journalist and someone who witnessed or was a part of this news. Perhaps they could make a video of the interview.

Ask students to keep a news journal in English and add this story to their thoughts.

Also...

Buy my 1,000 Ideas and Activities for Language Teachers eBook. It has hundreds of ideas, activity templates, reproducible activities for:

News
Warm ups
Pre-reading / Post-reading
Using headlines
Working with words
While-reading / While-listening
Moving from text to speech
Post-reading / Post-listening
Discussions
Using opinions
Plans
Language
Using lists
Using quotes
Task-based activities
Role plays
Using the central characters in the article
Using themes from the news
Homework

Buy my book

$US 9.99

Answers

(Please look at page 26 of the PDF to see a photocopiable example of this activity.)

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Breaking News English Lesson: A.I. Extinction

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