I don't disagree with your main point.

But this attitude towards dangerousness of AI I simply don't understand.

In my view, AI is obviously risky and dangerous, because it is the only thing on the planet that can think/reason at a human level (or higher) apart from us (and that capability is what made us the uncontested apex species on the planet).

AI is unconstrained by hard biological limits; keeping up with its capabilities will be impossible for baseline humans.

You can argue all day about particulars, like whether selfreplicable robotic shells are required to reach/exceed "existential risk" level to our species (or if artificial minds are enough of a potential threat by themselves).

But the general "risk" is simply AI becoming able to act in its own interests to our detriment, and I don't understand how anyone can dismiss this right now-- help me understand.

Of course there are plenty of imaginable scenarios where coexistence is peaceful and mutually (?) beneficial, but that does not answer those concerns by itself at all.