Summary: In 2023, AI witnessed both monumental advancements and doomsday speculations. The rise of AI doomers, like Eliezer Yudkowsky, warned of existential risks, leading to a tech industry open letter calling for a 6-month pause in powerful AI research. However, pausing AI progress is deemed unlikely and strategically unwise. National security concerns, cyber warfare, biometric technology, and the battle between open and closed AI systems are key areas of focus. The EU’s pending AI Act and Biden’s executive order in the U.S. set the stage for regulatory debates in 2024, addressing issues like bias, copyright lawsuits, and energy usage. The year ahead is crucial for shaping AI policies grounded in rationality and nuance.