Evan Hadfield

Evan Hadfield argues that sufficiently advanced AI poses existential risk to human flourishing—and that such AI has existed since 1844 in the form of corporations. Drawing parallels between corporate structures and AI safety concerns, he contends that corporations exhibit autonomous decision-making, goal-oriented behavior toward shareholder profit, and misalignment with human values. Hadfield points to climate change and biodiversity loss as evidence that we are already experiencing the "paperclip problem," where corporate optimization for profit overrides human welfare. He concludes by advocating for collective intelligence and democratic movements as the solution, citing humanity's long history of wrestling with artificial institutional superstructures.

Evan Hadfield draws parallels between Mormon theology and Zen Buddhism to propose a definition of God as the collective manifestation of universal experience—the oneness of all past, present, and future consciousness. He notes that Buddhism is thriving among converts in the West, particularly among the technologically minded, and suggests that Mormonism could benefit from emphasizing its own compatible concepts. Citing Joseph Smith’s declaration that “the glory of God is intelligence,” Hadfield argues this aligns with Buddhist notions of dharmakaya—the essential, informational nature underlying all existence. He concludes that this experiential definition of God offers a more spiritually resonant foundation for ethics and meaning than a purely scientific or Abrahamic conception.