> In neither case does it seem like a good excuse for bad behavior.

Good behavior that facilitates bad behavior is not, in fact, good behavior. For instance: it's not "good behavior" to hold the door open for gunman hell-bent on destruction.

The AI labs aren't building AI to help humanity, they're building AI to win at capitalism. Which a big reason why the AI is coming for the intellectual, creative labor that people often enjoy, before it comes from the dirty, unenjoyable labor.