On Tuesday, a group of business executives and experts urged world leaders to take actions that concerns lessening the threat of “extinction risk” from artificial intelligence technology.
Dozens of specialists, including Sam Altman, the creator of the ChatGPT bot from OpenAI, have signed a one-line statement emphasizing the need to prioritize addressing the risks associated with AI.
The statement suggests that such risks should be considered a global priority, similar to other societal-scale risks such as pandemics and nuclear war.
Last year, ChatGPT made a remarkable entrance into the limelight by showcasing its capability to create essays, poems, and conversations from the shortest of prompts. This feat sparked a massive influx of investment worth billions of dollars into the industry.
Both critics and industry experts have expressed concern about the potential negative effects of AI-powered automation on society. These concerns range from biased algorithms to the possibility of significant job losses as the technology becomes more integrated into daily life.
The Center for AI Safety, a US-based non-profit organization, recently released a statement on their website. However, the statement did not provide any information regarding the potential existential threat that AI may pose.
Despite previous warnings from some of the signatories, such as Geoffrey Hinton, a renowned figure in the field of artificial intelligence credited with developing key AI technological advancement, a recent statement signed by a group of experts has raised concerns about the potential dangers of AI systems.
The primary concern for many is the emergence of what is known as artificial general intelligence (AGI). This term refers to a hypothetical scenario in which machines possess the ability to perform a vast array of functions and can even develop their own programming.
Experts have warned that the species could face disastrous consequences if humans lost control, raising concerns about the potential lack of control. A recent letter with the signatures of numerous academics and experts from well-known companies like Google and Microsoft has surfaced.
This comes in the wake of a similar call made by billionaire Elon Musk and others, who urged a halt in the advancement of such technology until its safety measures could be confirmed.