A typology of s-risks

Abstract

This article presents a typology of s-risks, which are scenarios that could lead to astronomical amounts of suffering in the future. It groups s-risks into three categories: incidental s-risks, caused by otherwise desirable activities; agential s-risks, where agents deliberately cause suffering; and natural s-risks, caused by natural processes. It further distinguishes between known and unknown s-risks, s-risks by action and omission, and s-risks targeting different types of sentient beings. The article concludes by proposing several important questions for further research on s-risks and interventions to address them – AI-generated abstract.