Ontological Shock and Public Response to Potential Nonhuman Intelligence Disclosures

To the point

If records confirming nonhuman intelligence are released, people will respond in four broad ways—concern, positive reactions, skepticism or indifference, and critical engagement—shaped by prior beliefs, with intolerance of uncertainty causing distress for about 10 percent, potentially fueling speculation and conspiracy theories, and vulnerable individuals needing time and professional support as mental health systems help society adapt to a larger universe, a pattern Tim Lomas identified in 2024.