[TheEzEzz]

I agree -- the risks are bigger, the rewards larger, the variance much higher, and the theories much less mature.

But what's striking to me as the biggest difference is the seeming lack of ideological battles in this Moon story. There were differences of opinion on how much precaution to take, how much money to spend, how to make trade offs that may affect the safety of the astronauts, etc. But there's no mention of a vocal ideological group that stands outright opposed to those worried about risks -- or a group that stands opposed to the lunar missions entirely. They didn't politicize the issue and demonize their opponents.

Maybe what we're seeing with the AI risk discussion is just the outcome of social media. The most extreme voices are also the loudest. But we desperately need to recapture a culture of earnest discussion, collaboration, and sanity. We need every builder and every regulator thinking holistically about the risks and the rewards. And we need to think from first principles. This new journey and its outcomes will almost surely be different in unexpected ways.

[yreg]

You are completely right and your description of the situation screams social media as the root cause of difference between then and now. Maybe 'social media' in a generic sense where any discussion board counts.