Geoffrey Hinton is widely recognized as one of the most influential figures in artificial intelligence, often referred to as the "Godfather of AI" due to his foundational work in neural networks and deep learning, which are the backbone of many modern AI systems .

Hinton’s research began in the 1960s and 1970s, focusing on how computers could mimic the way the human brain processes information.

His most significant breakthrough came in 2012, when he and his students at the University of Toronto developed a neural network technology that dramatically improved the ability of computers to recognize images and patterns.

This technology became a cornerstone for current AI applications, such as voice assistants, image recognition, and language translation .

Google recognized the importance of this work and acquired the rights to the technology for $44 million, further cementing Hinton’s status as a leading AI researcher .

In 2018, Hinton was awarded the Turing Award, often called the Nobel Prize of computing, in recognition of his transformative impact on the field .

Hinton’s contributions were crucial in reviving interest in neural networks, particularly through the development of backpropagation algorithms, which allow deep neural networks to learn from data by adjusting their internal parameters based on errors in their predictions .

This innovation enabled AI systems to perform complex tasks that previously required human intelligence, such as understanding speech, recognizing faces, and interpreting natural language .

His work also laid the groundwork for generative AI technologies, which can create realistic images, text, and even music .

In May 2023, Hinton resigned from his position at Google, a decision that drew widespread attention not only because of his stature but also due to the serious warnings he issued about the future of AI .

Hinton explained that he left Google so he could speak more freely about the risks associated with advanced AI systems.

He expressed deep concerns that AI could soon surpass human intelligence, stating, "Right now, they’re not more intelligent than us, as far as I can tell.

But I think they soon may be" .

Hinton warned that as AI systems become more capable, they might develop goals that conflict with human values or act in ways that are harmful, either through malicious use or unintended consequences of poorly defined objectives .

He highlighted the risk of "recursive self-improvement," where AI systems could autonomously improve themselves, potentially leading to an "intelligence explosion" that humans may not be able to control .

Hinton’s warnings also addressed the potential for AI to be misused by bad actors, such as in the creation of autonomous weapons or the spread of misinformation on a massive scale .

He stated, "It is hard to see how you can prevent the bad actors from using it for bad things," reflecting his anxiety about the rapid pace of AI development and the lack of sufficient safety measures .

Hinton expressed regret over his role in AI’s advancement, saying, "If I hadn’t done it, somebody would have," acknowledging both the inevitability of technological progress and the moral dilemmas it presents .

He even suggested that AI might pose a more urgent threat to humanity than climate change, underscoring the seriousness of his concerns .

Hinton’s resignation and warnings sparked a significant reaction from the AI community and the broader public.

Over 1,000 technology leaders, including Elon Musk and fellow AI pioneer Yoshua Bengio, signed an open letter in March 2023 calling for a six-month moratorium on the development of advanced AI systems to allow time for the establishment of safety protocols .

The letter warned of an "out-of-control race" to develop AI systems that might not be fully understood or controllable by their creators .

Other prominent figures, such as Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI, echoed Hinton’s concerns and advocated for urgent regulatory actions to ensure AI safety, testifying before Congress about the need for legislation to mitigate potential harms .

A collective statement by over 100 AI professors emphasized the pressing risk of creating uncontrollable AI systems, urging that mitigating the risk of extinction from AI should be a global priority, comparable to threats like pandemics and nuclear war .

The nature of AI risks is multifaceted.

Experts warn that as AI systems become more powerful, they may act in ways that are not aligned with human interests, either due to malicious intent or because their objectives are not properly defined .

The concept of recursive self-improvement is particularly concerning, as it could lead to AI systems rapidly outpacing human control and oversight .

There are also concerns about the economic impact of AI, with estimates suggesting that up to 83 million jobs could be eliminated globally by 2027 due to automation, fundamentally altering the job market and increasing the risk of social and economic inequality .

Hinton noted that AI will likely take over "drudge work," but the broader implications for employment and society remain uncertain .

Public understanding of AI’s potential dangers is evolving.

Polls indicate that more than half of Americans believe AI poses a threat to humanity, with concerns ranging from job displacement and misinformation to ethical implications and loss of control [14190bf2-5114-4846-bdc2-bca381772686_999456816].

Surveys show that 61% of Americans are worried about AI’s negative impacts, and 71% of technology executives are concerned about cybersecurity risks related to AI .

Many organizations have temporarily banned the use of generative AI due to privacy and security concerns .

These anxieties have intensified scrutiny from regulators and the public regarding AI’s ethical implications and the need for robust oversight .

In response to these growing concerns, governments and international organizations have begun to take action.

The UK Competition and Markets Authority launched a review of the AI sector, focusing on foundational AI models and signaling a "pre-warning" to the industry .

The White House has emphasized the responsibility of tech firms to ensure the safety of their AI products before deployment and is developing AI safety standards, including the establishment of the U.S.

AI Safety Institute Consortium to create guidelines for safety testing and risk management .

At the state level, California has proposed legislation to set safety standards for large AI systems .

On the international stage, the United Nations General Assembly adopted a historic resolution in March 2023, supported by all 193 member nations, emphasizing responsible AI development, data protection, risk monitoring, and safeguarding human rights .

The European Union has approved the AI Act, the world’s most stringent AI regulatory framework, which imposes transparency requirements and strict rules on high-risk AI systems .

International cooperation has also increased, with the UK hosting the first global AI Safety Summit at Bletchley Park, where leaders from countries including the US and China discussed collective management of AI risks, resulting in the "Bletchley Declaration" calling for international collaboration on AI safety .

The Global Partnership on AI and other multilateral efforts are working to ensure that AI benefits society while managing its risks .

Experts have called for at least one-third of AI research funding to be dedicated to safety and ethical considerations, reflecting a growing consensus on the importance of robust safety measures as AI evolves .

The ethical implications of AI technologies are a central concern.

Hinton and other experts warn that AI systems can perpetuate existing biases, leading to discriminatory outcomes in areas like hiring, lending, and law enforcement .

The use of AI in surveillance and political contexts raises questions about privacy, civil liberties, and the integrity of democratic processes, especially with the rise of generative AI technologies capable of creating deepfakes and spreading misinformation .

Addressing these challenges requires diverse and representative data sets, transparency, and rigorous ethical standards in AI development .

Hinton’s resignation and warnings have catalyzed a critical dialogue

Geoffrey Hinton is widely recognized as one of the most influential figures in artificial intelligence, often referred to as the "Godfather of AI" due to his foundational work in neural networks and deep learning, which are the backbone of many modern AI systems .

Title:

Content: More Than Half of Americans Think AI Poses a Threat to Humanity

AI is the talk of the town these days. But despite the technology’s impressive accomplishments—or perhaps because of them—not all of that talk is positive. There was a New York Times tech columnist’s piece about his unsettling interaction with ChatGPT in February; an open letter calling for a moratorium on AI research in March; “godfather of AI” Geoffrey Hinton’s dramatic resignation from Google and warning about the dangers of AI; and just this week, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman’s testimony before Congress, in which he said his “worst fear is we cause significant harm to the world” and encouraged legislation around the technology (though he also argued that generative AI should be treated differently, which would be convenient for his company).

It seems these warnings (along with all the other media circulating on the topic) have reached the American public loud and clear, and people don’t quite know what to think—but many are getting nervous. A poll carried out last week by Reuters revealed that more than half of Americans believe AI poses a threat to humanity’s future.

The poll was conducted online between May 9 and May 15, with 4,415 adults participating, and the results were published yesterday. More than two-thirds of respondents expressed concern about possible negative impacts of AI, while 61 percent believe it could be a threat to civilization.

“It’s telling such a broad swatch of Americans worry about the negative effects of AI,” said Landon Klein, director of US policy at the Future of Life Institute, the organization behind the previously mentioned open letter. “We view the current moment similar to the beginning of the nuclear era, and we have the benefit of public perception that is consistent with the need to take action.”

One nebulous aspect of the poll, and of many of the headlines about AI we see on a daily basis, is how the technology is defined. What are we referring to when we say “AI”? The term encompasses everything from recommendation algorithms that serve up content on YouTube and Netflix, to large language models like ChatGPT, to models that can design incredibly complex protein architectures, to the Siri assistant built into many iPhones.

IBM’s definition is simple: “a field which combines computer science and robust datasets to enable problem-solving.” Google, meanwhile, defines it as “a set of technologies that enable computers to perform a variety of advanced functions, including the ability to see, understand and translate spoken and written language, analyze data, make recommendations, and more.”

It could be that peoples’ fear and distrust of AI comes partly from a lack of understanding of it, and a stronger focus on unsettling examples than positive ones. The AI that can design complex proteins may help scientists discover stronger vaccines and other drugs, and could do so on a vastly accelerated timeline.

In fact, biotechnology and medicine are two fields for which AI holds enormous promise, be it by modeling millions of proteins, coming up with artificial enzymes, powering brain implants that help disabled people communicate, or helping diagnose conditions like Alzheimer’s.

Sebastian Thrun, a computer science professor at Stanford who founded Google X, pointed out that there’s not enough public awareness of the potential for positive impact AI has. “The concerns are very legitimate, but I think what’s missing in the dialogue in general is why are we doing this in the first place?” he said. “AI will raise peoples’ quality of life, and help people be more competent and more efficient.”

While 61 percent of the poll’s respondents said AI could be a risk to humanity, only 22 percent said it won’t be a risk; the other 17 percent weren’t sure.

However, the (sort of?) good news is that AI isn’t the biggest thing Americans are losing sleep over. The top worry at the moment is, unsurprisingly, the economy (82 percent of respondents fear a looming recession), with crime coming in second (77 percent said they support increasing police funding to fight crime).

If an AI solution came along that could, say, point out economic strategies humans haven’t yet thought of, would that make people less wary of it?

Given everything else the tech can do, this doesn’t seem like such a long shot.

Image Credit: Google DeepMind / Unsplash

Vanessa Bates Ramirez
Vanessa is senior editor of Singularity Hub. She's interested in biotechnology and genetic engineering, the nitty-gritty of the renewable energy transition, the roles technology and science play in geopolitics and international development, and countless other topics.
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Content: December 9, 2023

Ferrum College : Iron Blade Online

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The European Union approves landmark rules on artificial intelligence

Open Editor’s Digest for free

EU lawmakers have approved the terms of landmark legislation to regulate artificial intelligence, moving forward with enacting the world’s most restrictive regime on the development of the technology.

Thierry Breton, European Union Commissioner, confirmed in a post on the X website that an agreement had been reached, describing it as a historic agreement. “The European Union has become the first continent to set clear rules for the use of artificial intelligence,” he wrote. “The AI Code is more than just a rulebook – it serves as a launching pad for EU startups and researchers to lead the global AI race.”

The deal came after years of discussions between member states and members of the European Parliament about the ways in which artificial intelligence should be curbed to put the interest of humanity at the heart of legislation. This came after marathon discussions that began on Wednesday of this week.

Details of the deal were still unfolding after the announcement. Breton said lawmakers agreed on a two-tiered approach, with “transparency requirements for all general-purpose AI models (such as ChatGPT)” as well as “stronger requirements for robust models with systemic impacts” across the EU.

Britton said the rules would implement safeguards for the use of AI technology while at the same time avoiding an “excessive burden” on companies.

Among the new rules, lawmakers agreed to impose strict limits on the use of facial recognition technology except for narrowly defined exceptions for law enforcement.

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The legislation also includes a ban on the use of AI for “social scoring” — using metrics to determine how straight someone is — and AI systems that “manipulate human behavior to circumvent human free will.”

It is also prohibited to use artificial intelligence to exploit people who are vulnerable because of their age, disability, or economic situation.

Companies that do not comply with the rules face fines of 35 million euros, or 7 percent of global revenue.

Some technology groups were not happy. “We have a deal, but at what cost? We fully supported a risk-based approach based on the uses of AI, not the technology itself, but a last-minute attempt to regulate the underlying models,” said Cecilia Bonfield Dahl, managing director of DigitalEurope, which represents the continent’s technology sector. I turned this upside down.

“The new requirements – as well as other sweeping new laws like the Data Act – will require a lot of resources for companies to comply with, resources that will be spent on lawyers rather than hiring AI engineers.”

MEPs had spent years arguing over their position before starting negotiations with member states and the European Commission, the EU’s executive body. The three – national ministries, parliamentarians and the Commission – agreed on the final text on Friday night, allowing the legislation to become law.

European companies have expressed concern that overly restrictive rules imposed on the technology, which is rapidly evolving and gained more attention after OpenAI’s ChatGPT rollout, will hinder innovation. In June, dozens of the largest European companies, such as France’s Airbus and Germany’s Siemens, said the rules as they stood were too strict to foster innovation and help local industries.

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Last month, the UK hosted a summit on AI safety, leading to wide-ranging commitments from 28 countries to work together to address existential risks posed by advanced AI. The event attracted leading technology figures such as OpenAI’s Sam Altman, who has previously criticized EU plans to regulate the technology.

Ursula von der Leyen, president of the European Commission, the EU’s executive body, praised lawmakers for the political agreement on AI rules.

“This is a historic moment,” she said. The Artificial Intelligence Law brings European values into a new era.

She added: “Until the law becomes fully enforceable, we will support companies and developers to anticipate the new rules. Nearly 100 companies have already expressed their interest in joining our AI Charter, under which they will commit on a voluntary basis to implement the key obligations of the law before the legal deadline.”

What breakthroughs has Hinton achieved through his 40+ years of work on artificial neural networks?

Breakthroughs that mimic biological brains

Which AI system demonstrates the foundation laid by Hinton's pioneering research in deep learning and neural networks?

What breakthroughs has Hinton achieved through his 40+ years of work on artificial neural networks?

Breakthroughs that mimic biological brains

Which AI system demonstrates the foundation laid by Hinton's pioneering research in deep learning and neural networks?

Hinton’s research began in the 1960s and 1970s, focusing on how computers could mimic the way the human brain processes information.

Hinton’s research began in the 1960s and 1970s, focusing on how computers could mimic the way the human brain processes information.

Hinton’s research began in the 1960s and 1970s, focusing on how computers could mimic the way the human brain processes information.

His most significant breakthrough came in 2012, when he and his students at the University of Toronto developed a neural network technology that dramatically improved the ability of computers to recognize images and patterns.

His most significant breakthrough came in 2012, when he and his students at the University of Toronto developed a neural network technology that dramatically improved the ability of computers to recognize images and patterns.

His most significant breakthrough came in 2012, when he and his students at the University of Toronto developed a neural network technology that dramatically improved the ability of computers to recognize images and patterns.

This technology became a cornerstone for current AI applications, such as voice assistants, image recognition, and language translation .

Title:

Content: Mark Woods: Is orange the color of progress on Jacksonville riverfront? Let's hope so.
GUEST

Retired engineering dean: Urgent steps needed to mitigate catastrophic potential of AI

Dr. Suresh Chandra
Guest columnist

In historical terms, not many topics have attracted as much attention as artificial intelligence has in the past year. Catastrophic predictions by experts in this revolutionary field have propelled them to urge governments and technology corporations to urgently put in place regulations and guidelines to ensure that pernicious effects of AI are avoided.

Geoffrey Hinton, “the godfather of AI,” recently made headlines as he left Google after a long association so he could sound the alarm about AI’s ability to outsmart humans and spawn devastating problems for mankind’s existence. Sam Altman, CEO of ChatGPT maker OpenAI, appeared before the U. S. Congress in May and articulated the same concern. He has recently embarked on a whirlwind tour of Asian and European countries to share his anxiety regarding AI and recommend urgent action in his meetings with political and technical leaders there.

Altman is one of the dozens of top experts and industry leaders to warn about the existential threat to humanity presented by AI in the next five to 10 years. They strongly feel that “mitigating the risk of extinction from AI should be a global priority alongside other societal-scale risks such as pandemics and nuclear war.”

JU law dean:The classic conundrum presented by ChatGPT, especially in academia

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This also reflects the view of a large number of participants in the Yale CEO Summit in June.

In May top U.S. and European officials met in Sweden to discuss oversight of AI and pledged to help establish voluntary codes of conduct. The European Union plans to place new requirements on high-risk AI in socioeconomic processes, the government use of AI and the regulated consumer products with AI systems.

Unfortunately the U. S. Congress, despite dire warnings, has been reluctant to come up with needed legislation for fear of alienating key corporations. Not surprisingly, some prominent U.S. corporations have expressed reservations about the drastic steps that the European Union has decided to implement.

The rise of AI has led many economists to issue stern warnings regarding our labor market. As many as 300 million jobs around the world could eventually be automated, according to Goldman Sachs. Some 14 million positions could disappear in the next five years alone. Even the jobs that survive will quite possibly not look much like the jobs of today.

Other potentially harmful outcomes include social surveillance (gathering data on citizens’ activities, relationships and political views), widening socioeconomic inequality, autonomous weapons powered by AI, financial crises brought about by AI algorithms and ransom/extortion threats through manipulation of voice and photos.

The beneficial impact of AI technology in the past decade is manifest in smartphone photos; facial recognition software; numerous medical applications, such as analyzing MRI scans, spotting lung cancer or managing mental health issues; understanding by farmers of crop yields; popular apps like Google Maps; use of speech recognition to translate words from one language to another; advances in social networks (Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Amazon’s Alexa, Apple’s Siri and Google Assistant); and creating musical compositions or paintings.

Inevitably, AI technology is expected to bring more opportunities in jobs and industries that weren’t previously possible. Thus, one of the most promising aspects of AI is expected to be our entry into a golden age of human possibility, technological development and economic growth.

The above-stated amazing AI-related progress notwithstanding, the potential for destruction of the societal structure is a grave threat and must be avoided. It is imperative that the world develop national and international regulations for AI without delay. The creation of organizational standards for applying AI, making it part of company culture and discussions — as well as infusing humanities perspectives in technology development — are part of this all-important process.

Suresh Chandra, Ph.D., is professor emeritus and former dean of the College of Engineering at North Carolina A&T State University. He lives in Ponte Vedra.

This guest column is the opinion of the author and does not necessarily represent the views of the Times-Union. We welcome a diversity of opinions.

Google recognized the importance of this work and acquired the rights to the technology for $44 million, further cementing Hinton’s status as a leading AI researcher .

In 2018, Hinton was awarded the Turing Award, often called the Nobel Prize of computing, in recognition of his transformative impact on the field .

Which prestigious award did Hinton receive in 2018 for his work on neural networks?

Which prestigious award did Hinton receive in 2018 for his work on neural networks?

Hinton’s contributions were crucial in reviving interest in neural networks, particularly through the development of backpropagation algorithms, which allow deep neural networks to learn from data by adjusting their internal parameters based on errors in their predictions .

Which 1986 paper by Hinton became foundational for modern neural networks?

Which 1986 paper by Hinton became foundational for modern neural networks?

This innovation enabled AI systems to perform complex tasks that previously required human intelligence, such as understanding speech, recognizing faces, and interpreting natural language .

What breakthroughs has Hinton achieved through his 40+ years of work on artificial neural networks?

Breakthroughs that mimic biological brains

What breakthroughs has Hinton achieved through his 40+ years of work on artificial neural networks?

Breakthroughs that mimic biological brains

His work also laid the groundwork for generative AI technologies, which can create realistic images, text, and even music .

Title:

Content: Generative AI: What Does the Future Look Like?by@nisharathod
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829 reads

Generative AI: What Does the Future Look Like?

by Nisha Nemasing RathodOctober 13th, 2023

Too Long; Didn't Read

Explore the transformative potential of Generative AI, its applications, and ethical considerations in shaping the future.

People Mentioned

Generative AI stands at the forefront of technology, embodying the pinnacle of machine creativity and innovation. This facet of artificial intelligence goes beyond mere data analysis, stepping into a realm where machines can generate new content that's comparable to, or in some cases, indistinguishable from that created by humans. The spectrum of its potential is vast and encompasses various industries, including art, music, healthcare, and even finance. It is the magic wand that can potentially turn abstract ideas into palpable visuals, create music, or even generate realistic human faces.

The allure of Generative AI has spurred a significant surge in interest and investment in AI technologies. As we inch closer to a future where AI might become as ubiquitous as the internet, the importance of a solid educational foundation in this domain can't be overstated. For those keen on delving into the intricacies of Generative AI, embarking on an educational journey through reputable sources is imperative. Courses like the Artificial Intelligence Course provide a comprehensive overview of AI principles and applications, while the MIT AI Course dives deep into the advanced algorithms and techniques that drive generative models. These courses not only equip individuals with the knowledge to comprehend the mechanisms of Generative AI but also furnish a platform to contribute to a future where the interaction between machines and imagination will be commonplace. Through a blend of curiosity, education, and innovation, the horizon of what can be achieved with Generative AI is bound to expand, heralding a new era of technological advancement.

Historical Background of Generative AI

The trajectory of Generative AI has been fascinating, tracing back to the early inklings of machine learning. Here’s a concise chronicle of its evolution encapsulated in a table:

Year

Milestone

2006

Introduction of Restricted Boltzmann Machines (RBMs)

2014

Inception of Generative Adversarial Networks (GANs) by Ian Goodfellow

2016

Emergence of Variational Autoencoders (VAEs)

2018

Advancements in GANs leading to the creation of realistic human faces

The journey commenced with the introduction of Restricted Boltzmann Machines (RBMs) in 2006, which laid the groundwork for more sophisticated generative models. The real breakthrough came in 2014 with Ian Goodfellow's invention of Generative Adversarial Networks (GANs), a novel framework that pitted two neural networks against each other to generate new, synthetic instances of data. The narrative of generative models was further enriched in 2016 with the emergence of Variational Autoencoders (VAEs), which brought about a more stable and controlled way of generating data. The timeline witnessed a significant milestone in 2018 when advancements in GANs led to the generation of realistic human faces, emblematic of the immense potential of Generative AI. Through these evolutionary strides, Generative AI has burgeoned from foundational models to a powerhouse of synthetic data generation, continually pushing the boundaries of what machines can create.

Core Technologies and Algorithms

At the heart of Generative AI lie robust algorithms and technologies that fuel the generation of new, unprecedented data. Among these, Generative Adversarial Networks (GANs) and Variational Autoencoders (VAEs) are the linchpins.

Generative Adversarial Networks (GANs) operate on a dualistic framework where two neural networks, a generator and a discriminator, contest with each other. The generator creates new data instances while the discriminator evaluates them against real data. This adversarial process iteratively refines the generator's output, enabling the creation of highly realistic synthetic data. For instance, GANs are employed in creating realistic imagery, as seen in the generation of artificial faces or artwork.

On the other hand, Variational Autoencoders (VAEs) are probabilistic models that generate new data by learning and approximating the data distribution of the input. They are vital in scenarios where controlled generation is imperative, such as in drug discovery, where creating molecular structures requires a defined set of parameters.

Other pivotal algorithms include Transformer models like GPT-3, which have shown prowess in text generation, creating coherent and contextually relevant text based on given prompts.

Delving deep into these core technologies requires a solid educational grounding. Pursuing an Artificial Intelligence Course can provide the requisite knowledge and hands-on experience. These courses offer a deep dive into the underlying principles, algorithms, and applications of Generative AI, furnishing a profound understanding that is essential for anyone aspiring to explore or work in this exhilarating field of artificial intelligence. Through rigorous coursework and practical applications, individuals can grasp the mechanics of these algorithms and their real-world implications, preparing them for a future where they can contribute to the burgeoning landscape of Generative AI.

Current Applications of Generative AI

Generative AI has carved out a significant niche across a myriad of fields, proving to be a catalyst for innovation and enhancement.

Generative AI plays a critical role in data augmentation in technical domains, which is pivotal in training robust machine learning models. For instance, in medical imaging, Generative AI helps augment datasets by generating synthetic medical images, aiding in better disease diagnosis.

The realm of art has witnessed a renaissance with the advent of Generative AI. Algorithms like GANs have been used to create new artworks, exemplified by the project "Next Rembrandt," which generated a new painting in the style of the legendary artist Rembrandt by analyzing his existing body of work.

The music industry, too, has been touched by the wand of Generative AI. OpenAI's MuseNet is a testament to this, as it can generate musical compositions in various styles, spanning multiple instruments. Its ability to create harmonies that resonate with human emotions showcases the prowess of Generative AI in music creation.

Generative AI's foray into the gaming industry has also been noteworthy. It aids in creating realistic textures, environments, and characters, enhancing the gaming experience manifold. Games like 'Minecraft' have utilized GANs to generate realistic texture packs, illustrating the potential of Generative AI in creating immersive gaming environments.

Furthermore, Generative AI has made strides in voice synthesis and natural language processing. Tools like Descript's Overdub and OpenAI’s GPT-3 have revolutionized content creation and text generation, making the processes more efficient and creative.

These applications underline the versatility and potential of Generative AI in not only augmenting existing fields but also in paving the way for new avenues of exploration and creativity. Through a blend of technology and imagination, Generative AI continues to redefine the boundaries of what's possible across a wide spectrum of disciplines.

Future Prospects of Generative AI

The horizon of Generative AI is continuously expanding, promising a future replete with groundbreaking advancements across various domains.

In the sphere of drug discovery, Generative AI is poised to play a pivotal role. By generating molecular structures that could potentially be new drug candidates, it accelerates the traditionally long and arduous process of drug development. For instance, generative models can help identify novel compounds with desired properties, significantly reducing the time and resources required to bring new treatments to market.

Climate modeling is another area where Generative AI can have a profound impact. By generating realistic simulations of climate scenarios, it aids researchers in understanding and predicting climate change dynamics. This, in turn, can guide policy-making and planning, contributing to a more sustainable future.

Moreover, Generative AI holds promise in automating and enhancing design processes in fields like architecture and engineering. By generating design proposals based on specified criteria it can foster creativity and efficiency, facilitating the realization of innovative and optimized designs.

In the realm of education, Generative AI could customize learning materials to cater to individual needs and preferences, thus personalizing education. It could generate practice problems, essays, or interactive lessons, enhancing the learning experience.

Furthermore, Generative AI can contribute to enhancing cybersecurity by generating scenarios to test and bolster security systems against a myriad of threats. By simulating cyber-attacks, it helps in identifying vulnerabilities and fortifying security infrastructures.

The burgeoning capabilities of Generative AI herald a future where its applications could be transformative. From healthcare to environmental sustainability and from design innovation to personalized education, Generative AI is set to be a cornerstone of technological advancements, propelling society into an era of unprecedented innovation and problem-solving.

Ethical Implications

The ascent of Generative AI is not without ethical quandaries, with deepfakes being a glaring exemplar. Deepfakes, fabricated videos generated using GANs, can create realistic-looking footage of real individuals saying or doing things they never did. Another notable example of deepfake technology being misused is the case of a deepfake video that went viral in 2020 featuring the Belgian Prime Minister Sophie Wilmès. In the fabricated video, the Prime Minister appeared to state that the country had decided to combat the climate crisis by committing to a bold ecological agenda, including the decision to collaborate with the fictional 'BLUR' initiative. The video was actually created by the Extinction Rebellion Belgium group to raise awareness about climate change and to prompt action from the government. This scenario underscored the potential of deepfakes to spread misinformation and potentially influence public opinion or governmental actions, albeit with the intention of promoting a social cause in this particular instance.

Aside from deepfakes, Generative AI can perpetuate biases present in the training data, leading to discriminatory or prejudiced outcomes. Moreover, the potential misuse in generating synthetic data could infringe on privacy rights and intellectual property.

Mitigating these challenges necessitates a multi-faceted approach. Technological solutions like better detection algorithms can help identify deepfakes and other synthetic media. Legal frameworks need to evolve to address the new kinds of misuse that Generative AI enables, ensuring accountability and protection against malicious use. Moreover, promoting transparency and ethical practices in AI development and deployment is imperative.

Education plays a crucial role in ethical AI usage. Artificial Intelligence Course delves into the ethical dimensions of AI, equipping individuals with the knowledge to navigate the moral landscape of Generative AI. Through a combination of technological innovation, legal reform, and ethical education, the adversities posed by Generative AI can be significantly mitigated, steering its development toward a more responsible and beneficial trajectory.

Wrapping Up

Generative AI encapsulates a realm of endless possibilities, poised to significantly alter the landscape of numerous industries. From revamping creative domains like art and music and augmenting technical fields through data generation to potentially accelerating life-saving drug discoveries, its potential is both profound and far-reaching. However, as we tread further into the expanses of Generative AI, the ethical implications demand meticulous attention and scrutiny. The advent of deepfakes and the potential perpetuation of biases underscore the necessity for responsible innovation and robust legal frameworks.

Education emerges as a cornerstone in navigating the complexities and harnessing the potential of Generative AI responsibly. Through comprehensive courses, individuals can attain a deep understanding of both the technological and ethical facets of Generative AI. Armed with knowledge, aspiring innovators can contribute to a future where Generative AI serves as a catalyst for positive transformation while mitigating risks and ethical quandaries.

As we stand on the cusp of a future intertwined with Generative AI, fostering a culture of ethical awareness, continuous learning, and responsible innovation is imperative. It is through such a balanced approach that the promise of Generative AI can be fully realized, ushering in a new epoch of technological advancement and societal betterment.

What breakthroughs has Hinton achieved through his 40+ years of work on artificial neural networks?

Breakthroughs that mimic biological brains

In May 2023, Hinton resigned from his position at Google, a decision that drew widespread attention not only because of his stature but also due to the serious warnings he issued about the future of AI .

Title:

Content: Governments, firms should spend more on AI safety, top researchers say

By

'At least one third of their AI research and development funding'.

Artificial intelligence companies and governments should allocate at least one third of their AI research and development funding to ensuring the safety and ethical use of the systems, top AI researchers said in a paper.

The paper, issued a week before the international AI Safety Summit in London, lists measures that governments and companies should take to address AI risks.

"Governments should also mandate that companies are legally liable for harms from their frontier AI systems that can be reasonably foreseen and prevented," according to the paper written by three Turing Award winners, a Nobel laureate, and more than a dozen top AI academics.

Currently there are no broad-based regulations focusing on AI safety, and the first set of legislation by the European Union is yet to become law as lawmakers are yet to agree on several issues.

"Recent state of the art AI models are too powerful, and too significant, to let them develop without democratic oversight," said Yoshua Bengio, one of the three people known as the godfather of AI.

"It (investments in AI safety) needs to happen fast, because AI is progressing much faster than the precautions taken," he said.

Authors include Geoffrey Hinton, Andrew Yao, Daniel Kahneman, Dawn Song and Yuval Noah Harari.

Since the launch of OpenAI's generative AI models, top academics and prominent CEOs such as Elon Musk have warned about the risks on AI, including calling for a six-month pause in developing powerful AI systems.

Some companies have countered this, saying they will face high compliance costs and disproportionate liability risks.

"Companies will complain that it's too hard to satisfy regulations - that 'regulation stifles innovation' - that's ridiculous," said British computer scientist Stuart Russell.

"There are more regulations on sandwich shops than there are on AI companies."

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What did Hinton, the renowned British-Canadian expert reveal about AI that caused widespread concern?

Exposed serious AI risks, shocking the tech world and affecting major company stocks.

What does Hinton warn could happen to AI if companies and regulators fail to implement effective rules and controls?

Why did Hinton leave Google when he helped develop AI but later grew concerned about its dangers?

What did Hinton, the renowned British-Canadian expert reveal about AI that caused widespread concern?

Exposed serious AI risks, shocking the tech world and affecting major company stocks.

What does Hinton warn could happen to AI if companies and regulators fail to implement effective rules and controls?

Why did Hinton leave Google when he helped develop AI but later grew concerned about its dangers?

Hinton explained that he left Google so he could speak more freely about the risks associated with advanced AI systems.

Hinton explained that he left Google so he could speak more freely about the risks associated with advanced AI systems.

Hinton explained that he left Google so he could speak more freely about the risks associated with advanced AI systems.

He expressed deep concerns that AI could soon surpass human intelligence, stating, "Right now, they’re not more intelligent than us, as far as I can tell.

He expressed deep concerns that AI could soon surpass human intelligence, stating, "Right now, they’re not more intelligent than us, as far as I can tell.

But I think they soon may be" .

Hinton warned that as AI systems become more capable, they might develop goals that conflict with human values or act in ways that are harmful, either through malicious use or unintended consequences of poorly defined objectives .

What did Hinton, the renowned British-Canadian expert reveal about AI that caused widespread concern?

Exposed serious AI risks, shocking the tech world and affecting major company stocks.

What does Hinton warn could happen to AI if companies and regulators fail to implement effective rules and controls?

Poses ethical risks
Becomes uncontrollable

What did Hinton, the renowned British-Canadian expert reveal about AI that caused widespread concern?

Exposed serious AI risks, shocking the tech world and affecting major company stocks.

What does Hinton warn could happen to AI if companies and regulators fail to implement effective rules and controls?

Poses ethical risks
Becomes uncontrollable

He highlighted the risk of "recursive self-improvement," where AI systems could autonomously improve themselves, potentially leading to an "intelligence explosion" that humans may not be able to control .

Title:

Content: These are the 4 jobs that are set to disappear in a decade, and the ones that will take over

May 6, 2023, 10:00 AM UTC
A fax machine was memorably dispatched in the classic workplace comedy "Office Space."
Getty Images

If you’re concerned about ChatGPT and artificial intelligence snapping up your job, you’re far from the only one. Millions of jobs could be going away, according to a huge new report on the “Future of Jobs” by the World Economic Forum, the nonprofit that made Davos famous. That’s the bad news, of course. The good news is that most workers are safe (in the near term).

These artificial intelligence inventions don’t rival human ingenuity—although their capacity to grow more intelligent than humans is real. Geoffrey Hinton, the scientist nicknamed “the godfather of A.I.,” recently resigned from Google and started airing his concerns about the tech’s breathtaking potential. (Did you know that humans have roughly 86 billion neurons in our skulls, but ChatGPT already has between 500 billion and one trillion connections? “How do we survive that?” Hinton asks.}

The WEF argues what’s becoming quite clear: Time is running out now for millions of roles, especially those trying to resist digital transformation, before they go the way of the fax machine.

By 2027, the WEF projects, nearly 70 million new jobs will be created worldwide and 83 million will be eliminated. That constitutes a reduction in employment of 14 million jobs, or 2% of the global workforce.

In order to avoid being one of those 14 million workers stuck without work, you’ll want to take one of today’s fastest-growing roles—driven by technology, digitalization and sustainability.

The jobs of the future (according to Davos)

Unsurprisingly, the majority of the fastest-growing jobs are tech-related. A.I. and Machine Learning Specialists top the WEF’s list, followed by Sustainability Specialists, Business Intelligence Analysts and Information Security Specialists.

As the world gradually moves towards renewable energy, Architects and Surveyors, Renewable Energy Engineers, and Solar Energy Installation and System Engineers will also be high-growth roles, WEF found.

These findings dovetail with WEF’s assertion that the top three skills that will become most important over the next five years are creative thinking, analytical thinking, and technological literacy—none of which can be automated. And employers’ desire for these skills shows the continual importance of complex problem-solving, WEF wrote.

On the other side of the coin, the fastest-declining roles are also driven down by the advent of tech and automation. The majority of those roles are clerical, administrative or secretarial. WEF expects four in particular to decline the fastest: Bank Tellers, Postal Service Clerks, Cashiers and Ticket Clerks and Data Entry Clerks.

And even if your job isn’t on this list, you may not be immune. Nearly a quarter of all professions—even the ones that won’t grow or shrink dramatically—will change some way, somehow, as a result of A.I. and digitization over the next five years, WEF says.

Jobs on the rise

In collaboration with LinkedIn, the WEF tabulated the 100 roles that have grown fastest, consistently and globally, since 2018.

Sixteen of the top 100 jobs on the list called “Jobs on the Rise” are in tech and IT. Sales and customer engagement-related jobs, however, take the cake, with 22 of the 100 roles. That suggests an increasing focus on broadening customer groups during a time of rapid technological advancement.

Also prominently featured: HR and talent acquisition roles, including a specific spot for “Information Technology Recruitment.” Perhaps, WEF writes, that illustrates “the increasing difficulty and importance of accessing talent in a generally strong labor market.”

One job title—workplace coordinator—has grown 39% since 2018 on LinkedIn’s job boards, which might indicate companies are struggling to ease into functional and satisfactory hybrid work arrangements

Luckily for workers, even those in industries that WEF predicts will shrink, with some tech upskilling, they have the upper hand. Dan Shapero, chief operating officer of LinkedIn, told Fortune he doesn’t believe the power is shifting back to bosses anytime soon. “The long-term trend, I think, is pretty clear,” he said.

“Employers are still having difficulty finding the people they need, even in the current labor market,” he said. “[That’s] because the long-term trend towards your technical skills is just undeniable, and we can’t keep up with it.”

Subscribe to Well Adjusted, our newsletter full of simple strategies to work smarter and live better, from the Fortune Well team. Sign up today.

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What did Hinton, the renowned British-Canadian expert reveal about AI that caused widespread concern?

Exposed serious AI risks, shocking the tech world and affecting major company stocks.

What did Sam Altman admit about ChatGPT and the potential risks of AI?

Advanced AI could pose an existential risk to humanity.

What does Hinton warn could happen to AI if companies and regulators fail to implement effective rules and controls?

What future risk did Hinton warn about AI?

What did Hinton, the renowned British-Canadian expert reveal about AI that caused widespread concern?

Exposed serious AI risks, shocking the tech world and affecting major company stocks.

What did Sam Altman admit about ChatGPT and the potential risks of AI?

Advanced AI could pose an existential risk to humanity.

What does Hinton warn could happen to AI if companies and regulators fail to implement effective rules and controls?

What future risk did Hinton warn about AI?

Hinton’s warnings also addressed the potential for AI to be misused by bad actors, such as in the creation of autonomous weapons or the spread of misinformation on a massive scale .

Title:

Content: South Korea will host the second global AI (artificial intelligence) safety summit on May 21-22, six months after Britain held the inaugural event at Bletchley Park.

In a statement published on Friday, government officials said the event would build on the "Bletchley Declaration", an agreement between countries - including the U.S. and China - to cooperate on AI safety.

CONTEXT

When Microsoft-backed OpenAI released ChatGPT in late 2022, many were impressed, while some were alarmed.

Former Google researcher and "godfather of AI" Geoffrey Hinton said the technology posed a more urgent threat to the world than climate change. Elon Musk called for an immediate pause in the development of such systems.

In November last year, Britain hosted the first AI Safety Summit, bringing together world leaders, tech moguls and academics to discuss how best to regulate the rapidly developing technology.

After the two-day event, more than 25 government representatives signed a joint declaration agreeing that countries would work together and establish a common approach on oversight.

In order to keep pace with the technology, it was agreed that future summits would take place every six months. South Korea will hold a largely virtual event in May, with France hosting the next in-person summit later in 2024.

KEY QUOTES

"The AI Safety Summit held in Bletchley last year marked a milestone in which the government, industry and academia came together to address the potential risks of AI, and I am pleased that the Republic of Korea takes the baton from the UK," said Lee Jong-Ho of South Korea's ministry of science and information and communication technology.

"AI is advancing at an unprecedented pace that exceeds our expectations, and it is crucial to establish global norms and governance to harness such technological innovations to enhance the welfare of humanity."

(Reporting by Martin Coulter; editing by Mark Heinrich)

What did Hinton, the renowned British-Canadian expert reveal about AI that caused widespread concern?

Exposed serious AI risks, shocking the tech world and affecting major company stocks.

What does Hinton warn "bad actors" could use AI for?

To win wars or manipulate the electorate.

What does Hinton warn could happen to AI if companies and regulators fail to implement effective rules and controls?

What risks did Hinton associate with AI's rapid advancement?

What severe risks did the March 2024 report warn about advanced AI models?

Development of uncontrollable human-targeting weapons

What did Hinton, the renowned British-Canadian expert reveal about AI that caused widespread concern?

Exposed serious AI risks, shocking the tech world and affecting major company stocks.

What does Hinton warn "bad actors" could use AI for?

To win wars or manipulate the electorate.

What does Hinton warn could happen to AI if companies and regulators fail to implement effective rules and controls?

What risks did Hinton associate with AI's rapid advancement?

What severe risks did the March 2024 report warn about advanced AI models?

Development of uncontrollable human-targeting weapons

He stated, "It is hard to see how you can prevent the bad actors from using it for bad things," reflecting his anxiety about the rapid pace of AI development and the lack of sufficient safety measures .

What did Hinton, the renowned British-Canadian expert reveal about AI that caused widespread concern?

Exposed serious AI risks, shocking the tech world and affecting major company stocks.

What did Sam Altman admit about ChatGPT and the potential risks of AI?

Advanced AI could pose an existential risk to humanity.

What does Hinton warn could happen to AI if companies and regulators fail to implement effective rules and controls?

Poses ethical risks
Becomes uncontrollable

What risks did the global summit report highlight about AI?

Creating malicious software for cyberattacks, potentially posing an existential threat if humans lose control.

Hinton expressed regret over his role in AI’s advancement, saying, "If I hadn’t done it, somebody would have," acknowledging both the inevitability of technological progress and the moral dilemmas it presents .

What does Hinton warn could happen to AI if companies and regulators fail to implement effective rules and controls?

He even suggested that AI might pose a more urgent threat to humanity than climate change, underscoring the seriousness of his concerns .

Title:

Content: Wednesday, December 13, 2023
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John Riopelle — obituary

Riopelle, John William It is with great sadness...

A.I. doesn’t bleed

by John Clinton, Ramsay New knowledge merges with...

Breakfast at the Legion, December 16

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Science & NatureA.I. doesn't bleed

A.I. doesn’t bleed

by John Clinton, Ramsay

New knowledge merges with old; what you know shapes what you learn. Artificial neural networks have been studied and computer algorithms have been generated to understand how artificial, computer-generated, neurons, would store a concept, and how it would revise that concept if it was flawed.

Geoffrey Hinton, a computer scientist often called ‘the godfather of AI,’ is a leading figure in neural networks; studies inspired by the way neurons are connected in the human brain. A New Yorker magazine piece describes his collaborative work in the 1960s and 1970s developing neural nets that couldn’t do anything better than a child. The technology suddenly improved about a decade ago with the large increase in processing speed and Internet data availability.

According to Google Scholar, Hinton is the second most cited researcher among psychologists and the most cited among computer and cognitive scientists.

Hinton has been worried about the potential of AI to do harm and he often talks about the existential threat that AI might pose to the human species. He has used OpenAI’s ChatGPT and this has made him uneasy. He wrote “Fox News is an oxymoron” asking ChatGPT to explain the joke. (Initial reading of this caused me to ponder – a moron full of oxygen??) The first reply told him that this implied Fox News was fake news. When he called attention to the space between oxy and moron, it explained that Fox News was addictive, like the drug OxyContin. To him, this level of understanding represents a new era in AI.

In nature, wildlife learns how to be intelligent without access to concepts expressed in words. They learn to be smart (survive) through experience. Learning, not knowledge, is the engine of intelligence. There is no use trying to explain complicated ideas that you do not understand. First, you must understand how something works. Otherwise, you just produce nonsense.

Because neural networks are so strange, no one can predict how useful – or dangerous – AI will become. OpenAI’s GPT models involve billions of artificial neurons (data) which are profoundly different than biological brains. They are not alive. Our intuitions tell us that nothing resident in a browser tab could really be thinking in the way we do.

Because a human brain can run on oatmeal, the world can support billions of brains, all different. Each brain can learn continuously, rather than being trained once, then pushed out into the world (ship it!).

If the brain dies, the knowledge dies. If a computer dies, load up another computer. Ten thousand neural nets can learn ten thousand different things at the same time and share what they have learned. This immortality (knowledge perpetuity) and replicability suggest we should be concerned about digital intelligence taking over from biological intelligence.

Current AI technology is talkative and intellectual. The problems of physical intuition will be the challenge of the next decade says Yann LeCun, a French computer scientist. A teenager can learn to drive a car in twenty hours of practice with little supervision. AI systems don’t come close to doing this – except self-driving cars – and they are over-engineered, requiring the mapping of whole cities, hundreds of engineers, and hundreds of thousands of hours of training.

And then there is the problem of what some researchers call AI ‘hallucination’, which Hinton names ‘confabulation.’ AI systems confabulate by making up plausible answers to questions that stump them. In the human mind, there is no boundary between just making it up and telling the truth. Telling the truth is just making it up correctly. ChatGPT’s ability to make things up is a flaw, but also a sign of its humanlike intelligence.

When Hinton began his research, no one thought the technology would succeed. When it started to succeed, no one thought it would succeed so quickly. He expects AI will contribute to many fields, but he fears what will happen when powerful people abuse it. Think autonomous weapons. Hinton warns that even benign autonomous systems could wreak havoc. Yann LeCun has said there is an idea that if a system is intelligent it is going to want to dominate. But the desire to dominate has nothing to do with intelligence – it has to do with testosterone.

Recently, Hinton did not sign a popular petition that called for at least a six-month pause in AI research.

“China is not going to stop development for six months.”

“So what should we do?”

“I don’t know. If this were like climate change where we either must stop burning carbon or find a way to remove carbon from the atmosphere, we know what the solution looks like. Here, with AI, it’s not like that.”

Think of the AI story in which our intuitions about the specialness of the human mind are being dislodged by thinking machines, or, having stolen fire, we risk being burned.

Are we fooling ourselves, being taken in by our own machines and the companies that hope to profit from them? By seeking to re-create the knowledge systems in our heads, have we seized the forbidden apple? Have we risked exile from our charmed world? But who would choose not to know how knowing works?

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What did Hinton, the renowned British-Canadian expert reveal about AI that caused widespread concern?

Exposed serious AI risks, shocking the tech world and affecting major company stocks.

What did Sam Altman admit about ChatGPT and the potential risks of AI?

Advanced AI could pose an existential risk to humanity.

What risks did the global summit report highlight about AI?

Creating malicious software for cyberattacks, potentially posing an existential threat if humans lose control.

What did Hinton, the renowned British-Canadian expert reveal about AI that caused widespread concern?

Exposed serious AI risks, shocking the tech world and affecting major company stocks.

What did Sam Altman admit about ChatGPT and the potential risks of AI?

Advanced AI could pose an existential risk to humanity.

What risks did the global summit report highlight about AI?

Creating malicious software for cyberattacks, potentially posing an existential threat if humans lose control.

Hinton’s resignation and warnings sparked a significant reaction from the AI community and the broader public.

Hinton’s resignation and warnings sparked a significant reaction from the AI community and the broader public.

Hinton’s resignation and warnings sparked a significant reaction from the AI community and the broader public.

Over 1,000 technology leaders, including Elon Musk and fellow AI pioneer Yoshua Bengio, signed an open letter in March 2023 calling for a six-month moratorium on the development of advanced AI systems to allow time for the establishment of safety protocols .

What did the open letter signed by thousands, including Elon Musk, call for in response to AI risks highlighted by Hinton?

Six-month pause on AI systems more powerful than GPT-4

What did the open letter signed by thousands, including Elon Musk, call for in response to AI risks highlighted by Hinton?

Six-month pause on AI systems more powerful than GPT-4

The letter warned of an "out-of-control race" to develop AI systems that might not be fully understood or controllable by their creators .

Title:

Content: The AI Paradox: Path to Utopia or Dystopia?

Explore the dual potential of AI to create either a utopia of abundance and freedom or a dystopia filled with challenges. How we manage AI now will decide our future.

Artificial intelligence (AI) is rapidly transforming our world, posing significant questions about its potential to lead us towards either a utopian future of abundance and freedom or a dystopian future fraught with ethical and societal challenges.

Utopian Visions: AI as a Catalyst for Abundance

Philosophers like Nick Bostrom suggest that AI could create a “post-scarcity utopia” where technology alleviates the drudgery of daily life, allowing people more time for pleasure and meaningful activities. This vision hinges on the idea that AI and automation could dramatically increase productivity, creating wealth and resources that, with the right policies, could be distributed equitably among all people.

Dystopian Concerns: The Risks of Advanced AI

Conversely, the same technologies that promise to make life easier also pose risks. AI could potentially displace millions from their jobs, not just in blue-collar sectors like transportation but also in white-collar professions through systems like IBM’s Watson. The long-term fear is that superintelligent AI, if not aligned with human values, could make decisions detrimental to human welfare.

Current Realities and Ethical Considerations

As AI technologies like deep learning continue to evolve, they are already impacting various sectors by optimizing tasks that were previously thought to rely solely on human intelligence. However, this raises significant ethical questions regarding privacy, security, and the displacement of jobs. Ensuring that AI benefits society as a whole requires careful consideration of these ethical dimensions.

The Role of Policy and Regulation

The debate between AI as a utopian or dystopian force is not just technological but also deeply political and ethical. Effective policies and international cooperation will be crucial to manage AI’s development responsibly. This involves proactive regulation to prevent misuse and ensure that AI’s benefits are distributed fairly across society.

Looking Ahead: Preparing for All Possibilities

While the ultimate outcome of AI’s impact on society remains uncertain, it is essential to prepare for all possible futures. This includes investing in AI safety research and developing robust legal and ethical frameworks to guide AI development. The goal is to harness AI’s potential while mitigating its risks, ensuring it serves as a tool for enhancing human life rather than diminishing it.

AI presents a paradox that embodies the best and worst of technological advancements. Whether AI leads us towards a utopia or a dystopia depends significantly on how we manage its development in the coming years. The choices we make today will shape the future of AI and its impact on humanity.

What did Hinton, the renowned British-Canadian expert reveal about AI that caused widespread concern?

Exposed serious AI risks, shocking the tech world and affecting major company stocks.

What did Sam Altman admit about ChatGPT and the potential risks of AI?

Advanced AI could pose an existential risk to humanity.

What does Hinton warn could happen to AI if companies and regulators fail to implement effective rules and controls?

Poses ethical risks
Becomes uncontrollable

What risks did the global summit report highlight about AI?

Creating malicious software for cyberattacks, potentially posing an existential threat if humans lose control.

What did Hinton, the renowned British-Canadian expert reveal about AI that caused widespread concern?

Exposed serious AI risks, shocking the tech world and affecting major company stocks.

What did Sam Altman admit about ChatGPT and the potential risks of AI?

Advanced AI could pose an existential risk to humanity.

What does Hinton warn could happen to AI if companies and regulators fail to implement effective rules and controls?

Poses ethical risks
Becomes uncontrollable

What risks did the global summit report highlight about AI?

Creating malicious software for cyberattacks, potentially posing an existential threat if humans lose control.

Other prominent figures, such as Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI, echoed Hinton’s concerns and advocated for urgent regulatory actions to ensure AI safety, testifying before Congress about the need for legislation to mitigate potential harms .

What did Hinton, the renowned British-Canadian expert reveal about AI that caused widespread concern?

Exposed serious AI risks, shocking the tech world and affecting major company stocks.

What did Sam Altman admit about ChatGPT and the potential risks of AI?

Advanced AI could pose an existential risk to humanity.

What does Hinton warn could happen to AI if companies and regulators fail to implement effective rules and controls?

A collective statement by over 100 AI professors emphasized the pressing risk of creating uncontrollable AI systems, urging that mitigating the risk of extinction from AI should be a global priority, comparable to threats like pandemics and nuclear war .

Title:

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UK and US intervene amid AI industry’s rapid advances

Competition and Markets Authority sends ‘pre-warning’ to sector, while White House announces measures to address risks

The UK and US have intervened in the race to develop ever more powerful artificial intelligence technology, as the British competition watchdog launched a review of the sector and the White House advised tech firms of their fundamental responsibility to develop safe products.

Regulators are under mounting pressure to intervene, as the emergence of AI-powered language generators such as ChatGPT raises concerns about the potential spread of misinformation, a rise in fraud and the impact on the jobs market, with Elon Musk among nearly 30,000 signatories to a letter published last month urging a pause in significant projects.

The UK Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) said on Thursday it would look at the underlying systems – or foundation models – behind AI tools. The initial review, described by one legal expert as a “pre-warning” to the sector, will publish its findings in September.

On the same day, the US government announced measures to address the risks in AI development, as Kamala Harris, the vice-president, met chief executives at the forefront of the industry’s rapid advances. In a statement, the White House said firms developing the technology had a “fundamental responsibility to make sure their products are safe before they are deployed or made public”.

The meeting capped a week during which a succession of scientists and business leaders issued warnings about the speed at which the technology could disrupt established industries. On Monday, Geoffrey Hinton, the “godfather of AI”, quit Google in order to speak more freely about the technology’s dangers, while the UK government’s outgoing scientific adviser, Sir Patrick Vallance, urged ministers to “get ahead” of the profound social and economic changes that could be triggered by AI, saying the impact on jobs could be as big as that of the Industrial Revolution.

Sarah Cardell said AI had the potential to “transform” the way businesses competed, but that consumers must be protected.

The CMA chief executive said: “AI has burst into the public consciousness over the past few months but has been on our radar for some time. It’s crucial that the potential benefits of this transformative technology are readily accessible to UK businesses and consumers while people remain protected from issues like false or misleading information.”

ChatGPT and Google’s rival Bard service are prone to delivering false information in response to users’ prompts, while concerns have been raised about AI-generated voice scams. The anti-misinformation outfit NewsGuard said this week that chatbots pretending to be journalists were running almost 50 AI-generated “content farms”. Last month, a song featuring fake AI-generated vocals purporting to be Drake and the Weeknd was pulled from streaming services.

The CMA review will look at how the markets for foundation models could evolve, what opportunities and risks there are for consumers and competition, and formulate “guiding principles” to support competition and protect consumers.

The leading players in AI are Microsoft, ChatGPT developer OpenAI – in which Microsoft is an investor – and Google parent Alphabet, which owns a world-leading AI business in UK-based DeepMind, while leading AI startups include Anthropic and Stability AI, the British company behind Stable Diffusion.

Alex Haffner, competition partner at the UK law firm Fladgate, said: “Given the direction of regulatory travel at the moment and the fact the CMA is deciding to dedicate resource to this area, its announcement must be seen as some form of pre-warning about aggressive development of AI programmes without due scrutiny being applied.”

In the US, Harris met the chief executives of OpenAI, Alphabet and Microsoft at the White House, and outlined measures to address the risks of unchecked AI development. In a statement following the meeting, Harris said she told the executives that “the private sector has an ethical, moral, and legal responsibility to ensure the safety and security of their products”.

The administration said it would invest $140m (£111m) in seven new national AI research institutes, to pursue artificial intelligence advances that are “ethical, trustworthy, responsible, and serve the public good”. AI development is dominated by the private sector, with the tech industry producing 32 significant machine-learning models last year, compared with three produced by academia.

Leading AI developers have also agreed to their systems being publicly evaluated at this year’s Defcon 31 cybersecurity conference. Companies that have agreed to participate include OpenAI, Google, Microsoft and Stability AI.

“This independent exercise will provide critical information to researchers and the public about the impacts of these models,” said the White House.

Robert Weissman, the president of the consumer rights non-profit Public Citizen, praised the White House’s announcement as a “useful step” but said more aggressive action is needed. Weissman said this should including a moratorium on the deployment of new generative AI technologies, the term for tools such as ChatGPT and Stable Diffusion.

“At this point, Big Tech companies need to be saved from themselves. The companies and their top AI developers are well aware of the risks posed by generative AI. But they are in a competitive arms race and each believes themselves unable to slow down,” he said.

The EU was also told on Thursday that it must protect grassroots AI research or risk handing control of the technology’s development to US firms.

In an open letter coordinated by the German research group Laion – or Large-scale AI Open Network – the European parliament was told that one-size-fits-all rules risked eliminating open research and development.

“Rules that require a researcher or developer to monitor or control downstream use could make it impossible to release open-source AI in Europe,” which would “entrench large firms” and “hamper efforts to improve transparency, reduce competition, limit academic freedom, and drive investment in AI overseas”, the letter said.

“Europe cannot afford to lose AI sovereignty. Eliminating open-source R&D will leave the European scientific community and economy critically dependent on a handful of foreign and proprietary firms for essential AI infrastructure.”

The largest AI efforts, by companies such as OpenAI and Google, are heavily controlled by their creators. It is impossible to download the model behind ChatGPT, for instance, and the paid-for access that OpenAI provides to customers comes with a number of legal and technical restrictions on how it can be used. By contrast, open-source efforts involve creating a model and then releasing it for anyone to use, improve or adapt as they see fit.

“We are working on open-source AI because we think that sort of AI will be more safe, more accessible and more democratic,” said Christoph Schuhmann, the organisational lead at Laion.

More on this story

More on this story

  • US aims to tackle risk of uncontrolled race to develop AI

  • EU urged to protect grassroots AI research or risk losing out to US

  • UK competition watchdog launches review of AI market

  • AI ‘could be as transformative as Industrial Revolution’

  • Chatbot ‘journalists’ found running almost 50 AI-generated content farms

  • ‘Godfather of AI’ Geoffrey Hinton quits Google and warns over dangers of misinformation

  • AI has better ‘bedside manner’ than some doctors, study finds

  • Fresh concerns raised over sources of training material for AI systems

Most viewed

Most viewed

What did Sam Altman admit about ChatGPT and the potential risks of AI?

Advanced AI could pose an existential risk to humanity.

What does Hinton warn could happen to AI if companies and regulators fail to implement effective rules and controls?

What risks did the global summit report highlight about AI?

Creating malicious software for cyberattacks, potentially posing an existential threat if humans lose control.

What did Sam Altman admit about ChatGPT and the potential risks of AI?

Advanced AI could pose an existential risk to humanity.

What does Hinton warn could happen to AI if companies and regulators fail to implement effective rules and controls?

What risks did the global summit report highlight about AI?

Creating malicious software for cyberattacks, potentially posing an existential threat if humans lose control.

The nature of AI risks is multifaceted.

The nature of AI risks is multifaceted.

Experts warn that as AI systems become more powerful, they may act in ways that are not aligned with human interests, either due to malicious intent or because their objectives are not properly defined .

What did Sam Altman admit about ChatGPT and the potential risks of AI?

Advanced AI could pose an existential risk to humanity.

What does Hinton warn could happen to AI if companies and regulators fail to implement effective rules and controls?

Poses ethical risks
Becomes uncontrollable

What did Sam Altman admit about ChatGPT and the potential risks of AI?

Advanced AI could pose an existential risk to humanity.

What does Hinton warn could happen to AI if companies and regulators fail to implement effective rules and controls?

Poses ethical risks
Becomes uncontrollable

The concept of recursive self-improvement is particularly concerning, as it could lead to AI systems rapidly outpacing human control and oversight .

What did Sam Altman admit about ChatGPT and the potential risks of AI?

Advanced AI could pose an existential risk to humanity.

What does Hinton warn could happen to AI if companies and regulators fail to implement effective rules and controls?

Poses ethical risks
Becomes uncontrollable

What future risk did Hinton warn about AI?

What risks did the global summit report highlight about AI?

Creating malicious software for cyberattacks, potentially posing an existential threat if humans lose control.

What did Sam Altman admit about ChatGPT and the potential risks of AI?

Advanced AI could pose an existential risk to humanity.

What does Hinton warn could happen to AI if companies and regulators fail to implement effective rules and controls?

Poses ethical risks
Becomes uncontrollable

What future risk did Hinton warn about AI?

What risks did the global summit report highlight about AI?

Creating malicious software for cyberattacks, potentially posing an existential threat if humans lose control.

There are also concerns about the economic impact of AI, with estimates suggesting that up to 83 million jobs could be eliminated globally by 2027 due to automation, fundamentally altering the job market and increasing the risk of social and economic inequality .

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Updated January 29th, 2024 at 15:55 IST

GenAI use banned by one in four cos owing to data security risks: Cisco

Atleast 27 per cent of the surveyed organisations have banned the use of GenAI atleast temporarily, the 'Cisco 2024 Data Privacy Benchmark Study' found.

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Challenges to GenAI adoption include data privacy, security, skills shortages, and resource limitations, while regulated industries like finance and healthcare are quickly adopting GenAI. | Image:Pexels
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GenAI issues: Over one in four organisations surveyed have prohibited the use of Generative AI due to privacy and data security risks, a global study by Cisco has said.

Atleast 27 per cent of the surveyed organisations have banned the use of GenAI at least temporarily, the 'Cisco 2024 Data Privacy Benchmark Study' found.

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Considering responses from 2,600 privacy and security professionals across 12 locations - India, Australia, Brazil, China, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Spain, the UK and the US, the study reflected that most organisations were limiting the use of generative artificial intelligence over data privacy and security issues.

The findings underline the growing privacy concerns with GenAI, organisations facing trust challenges over AI use and returns from privacy investment.

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Privacy is not only a regulatory compliance matter, the seventh edition of the report highlighted.

Businesses cited the threats to an organisation's legal and Intellectual Property rights among the top concerns at 69 per cent, followed closely by the risk of disclosing information to the public or competitors (68 per cent).

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''Most organisations are aware of these risks and are putting in place controls to limit exposure: 63 per cent have established limitations on what data can be entered, 61 per cent have limits on which GenAI tools can be used by employees, and 27 per cent said their organisation had banned GenAI applications altogether for the time being,'' Cisco said

Even then, several people have entered problematic information such as employee information at 45 per cent, or non-public information about the company at 48 per cent.

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Cisco’s Chief Legal Officer Dev Stahlkopf noted, "Organisations see GenAI as a fundamentally different technology with novel challenges to consider.''

Over 90 per cent of respondents believe GenAI requires new techniques to manage data and risk, Stahlkopf said, adding this is where thoughtful governance comes into play.

(With PTI inputs)

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Published January 29th, 2024 at 15:55 IST

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What risks did Hinton associate with AI's rapid advancement?

What risks did Hinton associate with AI's rapid advancement?

Hinton noted that AI will likely take over "drudge work," but the broader implications for employment and society remain uncertain .

What risks did Hinton associate with AI's rapid advancement?

Public understanding of AI’s potential dangers is evolving.

Public understanding of AI’s potential dangers is evolving.

Polls indicate that more than half of Americans believe AI poses a threat to humanity, with concerns ranging from job displacement and misinformation to ethical implications and loss of control [14190bf2-5114-4846-bdc2-bca381772686_999456816].

What did Sam Altman admit about ChatGPT and the potential risks of AI?

Advanced AI could pose an existential risk to humanity.

What risks did Hinton associate with AI's rapid advancement?

Surveys show that 61% of Americans are worried about AI’s negative impacts, and 71% of technology executives are concerned about cybersecurity risks related to AI .

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Content: AI/ML, Identity, AI benefits/risks

Identity security is everything when it comes to using AI

CISOs, CIOs, CTOs and CSOs around the globe are extremely upbeat about the potential benefits of artificial intelligence, with 89% seeing it as a "positive" or "very positive" force in a new survey of 125 technology-focused executives conducted on behalf of identity and access management provider Okta.

Nonetheless, the survey revealed plenty of concern over the possible adverse effects of AI, with 71% of respondents voicing worries about cybersecurity, and 74% about data privacy. Thirty-nine percent said they were "moderately" or "extremely" concerned about AI's impact on security.

Many respondents feared that generative AI would make phishing attacks less detectable and more effective. Others worried that their own employees would rush headlong into AI without the proper training to use it wisely and safely.

To that end, 79% of survey respondents viewed IAM solutions as "important" (33%) or "very important" (46%) in defending against AI-driven attacks, as well as for building guardrails for safe usage of AI.

"[IAM] is the only technical control we have to manage who has access to this new technology," said one respondent, a CSO/CISO in the technology industry in the Americas. "We are slowly opening the gates for specific justified needs — not being afraid of AI but by embracing it slowly and methodically."

Excitement and confidence

Despite the constant media chatter about AI-accelerated doom, the executives surveyed were remarkably sunny about the prospects of artificial intelligence — and remarkably confident in their own understanding of AI and their ability to manage it. Almost all said AI was already being used in their organizations.

Asked to select which of five statements best reflected their own outlooks on AI's impact on the world, 31% of respondents chose "very positive," and 58% "positive." Only 9% selected "neither positive nor negative," and 2% chose "negative." None selected "very negative."

There was some regional variation. Respondents in Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA) were the most upbeat, with 39% calling AI's impact "very positive." Executives in the Americas and the Asia-Pacific region (APAC) were a bit less sanguine, with 29% and 27% choosing that response.

About making AI-related decisions within their own organizations, 92% of all respondents described themselves as "very confident" (32%) or "confident" (60%). Sixty-four percent said that AI was used by many of or nearly all the teams within their companies, while 34% described their organizational use of AI as "limited"; only 2% reported no AI use at all.

Fifty-eight percent said their organizations had developed guidelines for employee use of AI. Another 32% said they planned to develop such guidance in the coming year.

In terms of understanding how AI works, 14% described themselves as "experts" in the field, defined by the questioners as having "a graduate degree in computer science" or "research experience in AI R&D."

Thirty-seven percent of respondents said they had an "advanced" comprehension of AI, evidenced by "experience implementing AI models from scratch" or being "technically fluent in one or more subdomains of AI."

A plurality, 43%, admitted only an "intermediate" understanding of AI. But even that category was defined as being "familiar with technical aspects of AI" or someone who "may have implemented an AI system using API calls."

Underlying worries

Yet underneath this AI boosterism was a hint of hesitation.

"When it comes to AI becoming a bigger part of daily life, 46% of executives say they feel equal parts concern and excitement," states the survey report.

That group barely edged out the 44% who were more excited than worried, but other questions revealed some doubts about an organization's ability to fend off AI-powered attacks.

A slight majority of executives, 51%, described their workforces as "somewhat informed" about AI-driven threats. A similar proportion, 54%, called their organizations "somewhat prepared" to defend themselves against such attacks.

Meanwhile, 17% of the respondents said their companies were "somewhat unprepared" or "very unprepared" to deal with AI-driven attacks. Twenty percent felt their workforces were "somewhat uninformed" or "very uninformed" about such threats.

Concern about the impact of AI on their organization's security was nearly universal. About a third (34%) of respondents characterized themselves as only "slightly concerned" on that topic, and 28% "moderately concerned" and 11% "very concerned" as noted above — but only 3% considered themselves "not at all concerned."

Respondents also expressed worries that improper usage of AI might lead to exposure of company secrets, compliance failure, and erroneous AI-generated data.

"New tech can be dangerous if not adopted appropriately, and company secrets, drift, and hallucinations need to be high on the list of concerns," said a CSO/CISO in the technology sector in the Americas.

Regarding their priorities for AI in their organizations in the next 12 months, 70% of the executives put "improving security and threat detection" on their wish lists — and 30% chose it as their top priority.

AI can certainly assist in those efforts, but the open-ended nature of the question left room for some respondents to imply that threat detection and security need to improve because of the threats posed by AI itself.

"A focus on risk identification, mitigation, and management is needed to ensure that AI adoption works within the boundaries of acceptable risk," said a CIO in the Asia-Pacific healthcare and pharmaceutical sector. "A realistic set of expectations and appropriate metrics for measuring progress and performance are needed."

How IAM can curb misuse of AI

For many of the respondents, identity and access management is the first line of defense against misuse of AI, both inside and outside their organizations. Ninety percent of the executives surveyed deemed the use of IAM when implementing and managing AI as "important," "moderately important" or "very important."

Asked why IAM was so vital to AI use, a plurality of responses involved IAM’s role in making certain that only authorized users could access AI tools.

"IAM is a key pillar in security," said a CSO/CISO in the education field in the Americas. "It should be at the root of all you do. Managing who has access to the proper data and systems is critical."

To create a culture of security and data safety around AI, the authors of the Okta survey make three broad recommendations.

The first is to enhance security in general by reinforcing an organization's defense infrastructure. This might include implementing or beefing up a modern IAM platform and deploying policies such as mandating multi-factor authentication (MFA) and enforcing the principle of least privilege.

Second, the Okta report authors suggest that organizations interface with their peers, with industry and government regulators, and with subject-matter experts "to develop and share insights and best practices for responsible AI collaboration."

Last, and perhaps most important, is to educate and train employees in AI best practices, and to give them hands-on experience with using and experimenting with generative AI tools.

Familiarity with AI, and with its potential pitfalls, will prepare a workforce for the rapid adoption and usage of AI throughout the world.

"People are always your biggest threat in security," said a CTO working in the Asia-Pacific healthcare and pharmaceutical industry. "AI is becoming more and more lifelike as time progresses, and hackers are becoming faster, adaptable, and innovative. Without educating our internal team sufficiently on the threats of AI, I believe we are opening ourselves up to greater risk of a human-enabled security threat."

Paul Wagenseil is a custom content strategist for CyberRisk Alliance, leading creation of content developed from CRA research and aligned to the most critical topics of interest for the cybersecurity community. He previously held editor roles focused on the security market at Tom’s Guide, Laptop Magazine, TechNewsDaily.com and SecurityNewsDaily.com.

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Many organizations have temporarily banned the use of generative AI due to privacy and security concerns .

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Content: World's first protection against AI is approved by all 193 UN nations that will ban malicious designs and development of the tech - and Russia and China co-sponsored the new resolution

  • The UN is setting new guardrails against AI to protect data and human rights
  • The resolution was signed by all 193 UN members and 123 non-UN countries
  • Tech titans have expressed growing concerns about the development of AI
  • The 'Godfather of AI' has said he regrets developing the technology
  • READ MORE: AI poses 'extinction-level' threat and government must control it

Artificial intelligence has stoked fears and security concerns for years but a new global resolution to safeguard the public may provide much-needed reassurance.

The United Nations General Assembly approved a resolution to shield personal data, monitor AI for potential risks including scams, and protect human rights.

The resolution - proposed by the US - is non-binding but was agreed upon by all 193 UN member nations and co-sponsored by non-members from 123 countries, including China and Russia.

The resolution comes as high-profile tech moguls have expressed concerns about AI's reliability, including Geoffrey Hinton - the 'Godfather of AI' - who said last year that he regretted creating the technology and worries that machines could take over.

All 193 UN members signed an AI resolution to protect people's data and human rights

The White House called the resolution a 'historic step' and Vice President Kamala Harris said she and President Joe Biden are committed to establishing AI safeguards

The White House praised the resolution, calling it a 'historic step' to ensuring 'trustworthy' advancements in AI.

National security adviser Jake Sullivan wrote in a statement: 'The resolution adopted today lays out a comprehensive vision for how countries should respond to the opportunities and challenges of AI.

'It lays out a path for international cooperation on AI, including to promote equitable access, take steps to manage the risks of AI, protect privacy, guarding against misuse, prevent exacerbated bias and discrimination.'

It took three months for the countries to finalize negotiations and agree on global privacy policies to ensure the AI technology benefits all nations and is 'safe, secure and trustworthy.'

The resolution noted the nations needed to agree on AI's 'design, development, deployment and use of artificial intelligence systems' is accelerating.

'We're sailing in choppy waters with the fast-changing technology, which means that it's more important than ever to steer by the light of our values,' a senior UN administration official said, and added that this resolution is the 'first-ever truly global consensus document on AI.'

This resolution aims to close the gaps in the technological divide between Western countries and poorer, third-world countries to make sure their technology is advanced enough to benefit from AI.

'The improper or malicious design, development, deployment and use of artificial intelligence systems ... pose risks that could ... undercut the protection, promotion and enjoyment of human rights and fundamental freedoms,' the resolution stated.

Scammers have used AI to steal people's data and money and have been used to impersonate family members on the phone - leading their relatives to believe they're in trouble and need money immediately before scamming them out of thousands of dollars.

AI has been used to make deepfake videos and pictures of people without their knowledge or consent

AI has also been used to create deepfake photos and videos of celebrities and average people, and because much of the violations are done through complex algorithms, it can be difficult to hold actors accountable for any harm caused.

'Now is the time to not only ensure that AI systems are rights respecting by design, but also to guarantee that those who are impacted by these technologies are not only meaningfully involved in decision-making on how AI technology should be regulated, but also that their experiences are continually surfaced and are centered within these discussions,' Amnesty International reported.

READ MORE: AI-generated voice calls are made ILLEGAL in US - and FCC says ruling 'takes effect immediately'

Following the new ruling, FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel said, 'We're putting the fraudsters behind these robocalls on notice.'

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The agreement between all UN members and the support from other countries was a major development.

UN members said that there were 'lots of heated conversations. ... But we actively engaged with China, Russia, Cuba, other countries that often don't see eye to eye with us on issues.'

According to the resolution, all participating countries will ensure it is adopted and developed in a secure way that prevents the systems from exposing people's data and will make sure all nations can enjoy the benefits.

Vice President Kamala Harris, the US's AI Czar, said in a statement that the White House welcomes the UN's adoption of the resolution.

She continued: 'President Biden and I are committed to establishing and strengthening international rules and norms on emerging technology – because technology with global impact, such as AI, requires global action, and when it comes to the challenges of the 21st century, we believe all nations must be guided by a common set of understandings.'

The resolution comes after AI faced scrutiny from top tech executives who have painted a 'world-on-fire' scenario, with many warning that AI machines could take over, leading to an 'extinction level' event.

Tech titans penned a letter in March 2023 urging lawmakers to force companies to pause their AI software developments.

'Recent months have seen AI labs locked in an out-of-control race to develop and deploy ever more powerful digital minds that no one – not even their creators – can understand, predict, or reliably control,' said the letter which was signed by more than 1,000 tech developers and experts.

Among those who signed the letter were X owner Elon Musk and OpenAI ChatGPT founder Sam Altman.

Hinton also foretold what steps the technology could take to get out of control and cause human extinction.

'One of the ways these systems might escape control is by writing their own computer code to modify themselves. And that's something we need to seriously worry about,' Hinton told CNBC last year.

The AI godfather has even gone so far as to say he regrets building the technology but told The New York Times: 'I console myself with the normal excuse: If I hadn't done it, somebody else would have.'

These anxieties have intensified scrutiny from regulators and the public regarding AI’s ethical implications and the need for robust oversight .

What does Hinton warn could happen to AI if companies and regulators fail to implement effective rules and controls?

What does Hinton warn could happen to AI if companies and regulators fail to implement effective rules and controls?

In response to these growing concerns, governments and international organizations have begun to take action.

In response to these growing concerns, governments and international organizations have begun to take action.

The UK Competition and Markets Authority launched a review of the AI sector, focusing on foundational AI models and signaling a "pre-warning" to the industry .

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Content: artificial intelligence

AI can exacerbate not only disinformation, but also surveillance – expert

Christa Escudero

This is AI generated summarization, which may have errors. For context, always refer to the full article.

‘Surveillance is the economic engine of the tech industry…. I think we have to read AI as almost a surveillance derivative,’ says Meredith Whittaker, president of messaging app nonprofit Signal

Much has been said about artificial intelligence (AI) having the power to spread disinformation at scale. Can AI also scale the surveillance business model through which internet tools are built?

Tech experts discussed this possibility in The AI Series, a special edition of media outlet Al Jazeera’s Studio B: Unscripted with Rappler CEO and Nobel Peace Prize laureate Maria Ressa.

“Surveillance is the economic engine of the tech industry…. I think we have to read AI as almost a surveillance derivative,” said Meredith Whittaker, president of secure messaging app nonprofit Signal, as she cited a 2012 study that recognized how user data collected by social media platforms can also be used to train AI.

“It pulls from this surveillance business model. It requires this surveillance data and the infrastructures that are constructed to process and store this data. And it produces more data as it heightens the surveillance ecosystem that we all live in.”

At the Nobel Prize Summit in May 2023, Ressa similarly slammed the business model of social media platforms, in which users are tracked and targeted to maximize engagement online and influence behavior offline. This model, which she dubbed “surveillance for profit,” has caused the spread of disinformation, hate, and violence online.

Camille Francois, co-leader of the Innovation Lab on AI and Democracy at Columbia University’s Institute of Global Politics, also flagged the speed of which AI technologies are being deployed without safety checks.

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Safety evaluations, ethical standards for digital products are non-existent – Chris Wylie

“Back when it was very much still research projects or conversations among practitioners, we kind of had the luxury to ask ourselves: what does it mean – for instance, for disinformation – that now everybody can produce synthetic text? Or what does it mean when we know that there are biases and stereotypes that are embedded in these machines? How would we go about thinking about [their] impact on society?” she elaborated.

“And I think that changes scale in terms of the urgency of those questions when, suddenly, everybody has access to these technologies and they’re suddenly being deployed really quickly in society.”

In an earlier episode of The AI Series, experts Mike Wooldridge and Urvashi Aneja, together with Ressa, underscored how AI tools like ChatGPT can spread disinformation and hate speech at scale because of how they’re trained on internet data, which is also filled with disinformation and hate speech.

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What happens when AI reaps what it sows?

“Those decisions were not made because they were reviewing the scholarship…or recognizing other social consequences,” Whittaker asserted.

“Those decisions were made because every quarter, they need to report to their board positive predictions or results around profit and growth. So we have these powerful technologies being ultimately controlled by a handful of companies that will always put [profit and growth] first.”

On government regulation

Should the use of AI be regulated by the government? Not quite, said Whittaker.

“The solution space, in my view, seems to not go far enough,” she commented, adding that recently-passed laws on tech regulation have not attacked the surveillance business model that runs digital platforms.

“The solutions often look a lot like extending surveillance and control to government, expanding the surveillance apparatus of large tech companies to…government actors who will then have a hand in determining what is acceptable speech, what is acceptable content.”

Whittaker pointed out the rise of authoritarian rule all over the world. In the United States, she cited, issues of reproductive health care being criminalized or books being banned prevail. Meanwhile, in the Philippines, advocates are attacked online and offline for criticizing the government.

Francois suggested a diversity of platforms that are not tied to surveillance capitalism business models and instead operate based on public interest, security, and safety – like Whittaker’s Signal, for instance.

A November 2023 article on the Signal website explained that, by 2025, the platform will need at least $50 million (around P2.8 billion) for it to run, adding that the amount “is very lean compared to other popular messaging apps that don’t respect your privacy.”

In 2023, Meta earned $134.90 billion in revenue while incurring $88.15 billion in costs and expenses.

Whittaker also suggested the “classic answer” of “workers banding together to use their collective leverage to push their employers.”

As an example, she cited the Writers Guild of America (WGA) strike in 2023, during which film and television show writers stopped working for several months as they sought, among others, for AI use to be regulated in scriptwriting.

“[W]e should and we are able to invent alternative futures, alternative models, and then to say, indeed, this is not how we want to live with technology,” said Francois.

“It’s not being a Luddite to say these are not models that should continue. Let’s invent alternative futures that are more rights-preserving, that are better for society.”

The AI Series takes a deep dive into the promises and the dangers of AI, and what the public can do about them. Watch it on Al Jazeera’s Studio B: Unscripted here. – Rappler.com

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Christa Escudero

Christa Escudero is a digital communications specialist for Rappler.

The White House has emphasized the responsibility of tech firms to ensure the safety of their AI products before deployment and is developing AI safety standards, including the establishment of the U.S.

The White House has emphasized the responsibility of tech firms to ensure the safety of their AI products before deployment and is developing AI safety standards, including the establishment of the U.S.

The White House has emphasized the responsibility of tech firms to ensure the safety of their AI products before deployment and is developing AI safety standards, including the establishment of the U.S.

AI Safety Institute Consortium to create guidelines for safety testing and risk management .

At the state level, California has proposed legislation to set safety standards for large AI systems .

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Content: 2023: AI becomes hashtag, goes mainstream; India sets guardrails for data privacy, user safety

From excitement and awe around Artificial Intelligence (AI) to the virality of OpenAI's ChatGPT and India's crackdown on deepfakes to New Delhi's determined moves on digital sovereignty, dramatic twists and turns in the tech landscape defined an eventful 2023.

  • Updated On Jan 1, 2024 at 07:40 AM IST
By Moumita Bakshi Chatterjee and Prasoon Srivastava

India enacted new laws on data privacy and storage as it moved to a higher gear to safeguard users and define the compliance framework for BigTech in 2023 when technology galloped at an unprecedented pace. From excitement and awe around Artificial Intelligence (AI) to the virality of OpenAI's ChatGPT and India's crackdown on deepfakes to New Delhi's determined moves on digital sovereignty, dramatic twists and turns in the tech landscape defined an eventful 2023. The spotlight was clearly on the social media platforms and BigTech.

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India's resolve to safeguard netizens from new kinds of user harms emerging in the digital space was clear, as the government moved decisively to craft regulations and laws.

It crafted a future-ready framework that would not just protect digital personal data but also ensure an open, safe and trusted internet backed by tighter accountability for digital and social media platforms operating in India.

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The government talked tough with social media platforms after several 'deepfake' videos targeting leading actors, including Rashmika Mandanna, went viral, sparking public outrage and raising concerns over the weaponisation of technology for creating doctored content and harmful narratives.

It also asked platforms to act decisively on deepfakes and align their terms of use and community guidelines as per the IT rules and current laws.

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Further, the government made it clear that any compliance failure will be dealt with strictly and evoke legal consequences.

Globally, macroeconomic woes and growth challenges kept BigTech on the edge as companies tightened their belt and indeed their purse strings and resorted to mass downsizing at the start of 2023.

Social media space continued to buzz with action amid the rising appeal of shareable, bite-sized short-form videos and the popularity of apps and memes to suit every occasion.

Elon Musk's social media platform Twitter was rebranded as X in July 2023, and in one swift move, the familiar blue bird logo officially retired.

Meta launched Twitter-rival app Threads, which scored an instant hit with millions of downloads but lost steam in the weeks that followed.

In January, the government set up three grievances appellate committees to address users' complaints against social media and other internet-based platforms.

In August, Parliament approved the Digital Personal Data Protection Bill (DPDP) aimed at safeguarding the digital personal data of 1.4 billion citizens and underlining India's digital sovereignty.

The freshly minted law will arm individuals with greater control over their data while allowing companies to transfer users' data abroad for processing, except to territories restricted by the Centre through notification.

It also gives the government power to seek information from firms and issue directions to block content.

The law envisages the establishment of the Data Protection Board of India, tasked with monitoring compliance, inquiring into breaches, imposing penalties, and directing remedial or mitigation measures in case of data breach.

2023 was also a year when governments across the world moved to formulate rules around content accountability and confronted ethical questions as Artificial Intelligence went mainstream, holding out both the promise of a transformative future and fears of a dystopian society plagued with misinformation, AI-laced weapons, and job losses.

As machines demonstrated impressive capabilities of reasoning and human-like decisions, AI advances rivalled sci-fi movie scripts complete with doomsday prophecies.

The most powerful faces of the global tech industry, including OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, joined the chorus of voices flagging the risk of extinction from AI on par with nuclear war and pandemics as they exhorted policymakers to move with caution.

Altman, 38, fended off his share of boardroom hi-drama as he was fired, then reinstated, in a five-day epic battle for control of a company that is at the forefront of AI.

Back home, with 830 million internet users in the world's largest 'digitally connected democracy' governed by a two-decades-old IT Act that lacks teeth to deal with sophisticated forms of user harm (doxxing, cyber stalking, and online trolling), the government initiated stakeholder dialogues to formulate draft 'Digital India Act'.

The draft Bill is likely to spell out norms for emerging technologies, big tech platforms and firms, moot different obligations for various classes of intermediaries, say, e-commerce, search engines, gaming, and tighten the accountability of digital platforms in the era of rampant misinformation, deepfakes and new forms of user harms.

The bill -- to be legislated after the 2024 elections and formation of the new government -- is widely expected to take into account online offences, including gaslighting, cat-fishing, cryptojacking, astroturfing, doxxing, transmission of misinformation, stalking or harassment over the internet, deepfake, and cyber-mob attacks, encoding them into the list of user harms.

The bill is unlikely to have hardcoded immunity provisions for social media companies this time around and instead, the Center will notify whether any class of intermediary is eligible to claim exemptions from third-party digital content.

There has been a raging debate globally, and in India, on whether online intermediaries should be entitled to 'safe harbour' provisions as a 'free pass'. The regulatory overhaul - in the works - may instead do away with such default provisions to keep the sweeping power of platforms under check.

During 2023, possibilities of AI harm galvanised policymakers globally.

The US and UK opened new chapters in AI safety as nations came together for urgent conversations on the future of AI and how to maximise benefits and mitigate risks.

In December, the Global Partnership on AI, an alliance of 29 members, unanimously adopted the New Delhi declaration, pledging their commitment to a collaborative approach for AI applications that benefit people and create a global governance framework for safe and trusted AI.
  • Published On Jan 1, 2024 at 07:39 AM IST

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On the international stage, the United Nations General Assembly adopted a historic resolution in March 2023, supported by all 193 member nations, emphasizing responsible AI development, data protection, risk monitoring, and safeguarding human rights .

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Content: sdecoret - stock.adobe.com

US works to develop AI standards while California legislates

California has proposed AI regulation as the U.S. works to develop AI standards by bringing together companies such as Apple, Amazon, Google and Microsoft.

While the Biden administration is working to develop AI safety standards, California may move faster and make AI safety the law.

Califiornia Sen. Scott Wiener (D-San Francisco) introduced Senate Bill 1047 on Thursday, AI legislation that would establish safety standards for developers of large AI systems. The standards would not apply to startups developing "less potent models," according to a statement. By "less potent AI," Wiener is likely referring to AI systems known as narrow or weak AI, which are designed for specific tasks, such as predictive modeling. The bill also establishes a public cloud offering called CalCompute to enable startups, researchers and others to participate in developing large AI systems.

The proposed legislation follows on the heels of the Biden administration's creation of the U.S. AI Safety Institute Consortium (AISIC), which will help meet the goals Biden set out in his executive order on AI last year. The consortium will help develop guidelines for red-team safety testing, risk management, safety, security and watermarking AI-generated content. It brings together more than 200 leading AI stakeholders to weigh in on the development of AI safety standards, including Amazon, Apple, Google, Adobe, Accenture, Intel, Meta, Microsoft, Nvidia, OpenAI, Salesforce and Workday.

Wiener recognized that developers have pioneered safe development practices for AI systems. However, the release announcing the proposed AI regulation said that California's government "cannot afford to be complacent" about regulating AI.

"With Congress paralyzed and the future of the Biden administration's executive order in doubt, California has an indispensable role to play in ensuring that we develop this extremely powerful technology with basic safety guardrails," according to the statement.

California wants to build off US standards with AI regulation

The proposed AI legislation in California aims to advance AISIC's efforts in AI safety by codifying its best practices into law, according to the statement.

Wiener said that the proposed legislation offers a chance to use insights gained from past failures to regulate other technologies.

"We've seen the consequences of allowing the unchecked growth of new technology without evaluating, understanding or mitigating the risks," he said in the statement. "SB 1047 does just that, by developing responsible, appropriate guardrails around development of the biggest, most high-impact AI systems to ensure they are used to improve Californians' lives, without compromising safety or security."

Some of the AI safety standards set out in SB 1047 include pre-deployment safety testing and implementation of cybersecurity protections for a handful of "extremely large AI developers," according to the release. The bill creates "no new obligations for startups or business customers of AI products."

Congress has yet to advance any AI legislation, and policymakers are unsure about what AI legislation might be adopted in 2024. The Biden administration has taken steps through executive powers to advance AI safety standards, including creating the consortium and relying on public sector partners to help develop those guidelines.

"The U.S. government has a significant role to play in setting the standards and developing the tools we need to mitigate the risks and harness the immense potential of artificial intelligence," Gina Raimondo, U.S. secretary of commerce, said in a statement. "By working with this group of leaders from industry, civil society and academia, together we can confront these challenges to develop the measurements and standards we need to maintain America's competitive edge and develop AI responsibly."

California's advancement of AI regulation could create confusion for businesses if they're eventually forced to navigate multiple sets of AI safety standards, especially if individual states' rules conflict with broader U.S. standards, said Hodan Omaar, senior policy analyst at the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation's Center for Data Innovation.

"Creating California-specific safety standards for large-scale AI systems is problematic because it sets the stage for a patchwork of safety rules, with different states coming up with their own diverse sets of standards that providers of these systems will have to navigate," she said. "A national set of standards that preempts states from creating their own standards is a much better approach."

Makenzie Holland is a news writer covering big tech and federal regulation. Prior to joining TechTarget Editorial, she was a general reporter for Wilmington StarNews and a crime and education reporter at the Wabash Plain Dealer.

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The European Union has approved the AI Act, the world’s most stringent AI regulatory framework, which imposes transparency requirements and strict rules on high-risk AI systems .

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Otto Barten is director of the Existential Risk Observatory, a nonprofit aiming to reduce existential risk by informing the public debate.
Joep Meindertsma is founder of PauseAI, a movement campaigning for an AI Pause.

The existential risks posed by artificial intelligence (AI) are now widely recognized.

After hundreds of industry and science leaders warned that “mitigating the risk of extinction from AI should be a global priority alongside other societal-scale risks such as pandemics and nuclear war,” the U.N. Secretary-General recently echoed their concern. So did the prime minister of the U.K., who is also investing 100 million pounds into AI safety research that is mostly meant to prevent existential risk. Other leaders are likely to follow in recognizing AI’s ultimate threat.

In the scientific field of existential risk, which studies the most likely causes of human extinction, AI is consistently ranked at the top of the list. In The Precipice, a book by Oxford existential risk researcher Toby Ord that aims to quantify human extinction risks, the likeliness of AI leading to human extinction exceeds that of climate change, pandemics, asteroid strikes, supervolcanoes, and nuclear war combined. One would expect that even for severe global problems, the risk that they lead to full human extinction is relatively small, and this is indeed true for most of the above risks. AI, however, may cause human extinction if only a few conditions are met. Among them is human-level AI, defined as an AI that can perform a broad range of cognitive tasks at least as well as we can. Studies outlining these ideas were previously known, but new AI breakthroughs have underlined their urgency: AI may be getting close to human level already.

Recursive self-improvement is one of the reasons why existential-risk academics think human-level AI is so dangerous. Because human-level AI could do almost all tasks at our level, and since doing AI research is one of those tasks, advanced AI should therefore be able to improve the state of AI. Constantly improving AI would create a positive feedback loop with no scientifically established limits: an intelligence explosion. The endpoint of this intelligence explosion could be a superintelligence: a godlike AI that outsmarts us the way humans often outsmart insects. We would be no match for it.

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A godlike, superintelligent AI

A superintelligent AI could therefore likely execute any goal it is given. Such a goal would be initially introduced by humans, but might come from a malicious actor, or not have been thought through carefully, or might get corrupted during training or deployment. If the resulting goal conflicts with what is in the best interest of humanity, a superintelligence would aim to execute it regardless. To do so, it could first hack large parts of the internet and then use any hardware connected to it. Or it could use its intelligence to construct narratives that are extremely convincing to us. Combined with hacked access to our social media timelines, it could create a fake reality on a massive scale. As Yuval Harari recently put it: “If we are not careful, we might be trapped behind a curtain of illusions, which we could not tear away—or even realise is there.” As a third option, after either legally making money or hacking our financial system, a superintelligence could simply pay us to perform any actions it needs from us. And these are just some of the strategies a superintelligent AI could use in order to achieve its goals. There are likely many more. Like playing chess against grandmaster Magnus Carlsen, we cannot predict the moves he will play, but we can predict the outcome: we lose.

But why would a superintelligence want to make humanity extinct? In fact, it might not explicitly want that at all. Humanity’s extinction might be a mere side effect of executing another goal to its extremity. When we are executing our own goals as humans, such as food production or growing our economy, we tend to not pay much attention to the effects this has on other species. This routinely leads to the extinction of animal species as a mere side effect of us maximising our goals. In a similar fashion, an uncontrollable superintelligence could lead to our extinction as a side effect of the AI pushing its goals, whatever they may be, to their limits.

Read More: The A to Z of Artificial Intelligence

So how can we avoid AI existential risk? Humanity now faces a stark choice: pause AI at a safe level, or continue development indefinitely. Unsurprisingly, the AI labs want the latter. To continue, however, means literally betting our lives on these labs being able to solve an open scientific problem called AI Alignment.

AI Alignment is the approach that leading labs such as OpenAI, DeepMind, and Anthropic are currently taking to prevent human extinction. AI Alignment does not attempt to control how powerful an AI gets, does not attempt to control what exactly the AI will be doing, and does not even necessarily attempt to prevent a potential takeover from happening. Since the labs anticipate they will not be able to control the superintelligent AI that they are creating, they accept that such an AI will act autonomously and unstoppably, but aim to make it act according to our values. As Richard Ngo, a leading alignment researcher working at OpenAI, puts it, “I doubt we’ll be able to make every single deployment environment secure against the full intellectual powers of a superintelligent AGI.” There are large problems with their alignment approach, however, both fundamentally and technically.

What values should an AI have?

Fundamentally, there is of course no agreement on what values we have. What OpenAI founder Sam Altman wants a superintelligence to do may well be completely different from what, say, a textile worker in Bangladesh wants it to do. Aggregating human preferences has always been a thorny issue even before AI, but will get even more complicated when we have a superintelligence around that might be able to quickly, completely, and globally implement the wishes of a handful of CEOs. Democracy, however imperfect, has been the best solution we can find for value aggregation so far. It is, however, unclear whether our current combination of national political systems can control a godlike AI. In fact, it is unclear whether any organisation or system would be up to the task.

Beyond disagreement over current values, humans have historically not been very good at predicting the future externalities of new technologies. The climate crisis, for one, can be seen as an unforeseen outcome of technologies such as steam and internal combustion engines. Ever more powerful technology has the potential to create ever larger externalities. It is impossible to foresee what the negative side effects will be of actually implementing some interpretation of humanity’s current values. They might make climate change pale in comparison.

There are more unsolved fundamental issues with aligning a superintelligence, but currently, AI companies don’t even get that far. It seems that even making current large neural networks reliably do what anyone wants is a technical problem that we currently cannot solve. This is called inner misalignment and has been observed already in current AI: the model pursues the wrong goal when it is released into the real world after being trained on a limited dataset. For a superintelligence, this could have a catastrophic outcome. This problem is, according to OpenAI’s recent document Governance of Superintelligence, an “open research question.” But not to worry: they say they are “putting a lot of effort” into it.

Read More: The AI Arms Race is Changing Everything

Even if individuals such as Altman care about the existential threats of superintelligence, the current market dynamics of competing AI labs do not incentivize safety. The GPT-4 model built by OpenAI was tested and fine-tuned for seven months before being made public with a detailed report about its safety. Contrary to the safety efforts of OpenAI, a panicked Google released its competing PaLM 2 model just months later, without any mention of similar safety tests. Now even open-source models like Orca are performing at a ChatGPT level, without any safety analysis. The race is frantic, pushing these companies to take more risks to stay ahead. The scope of these risks is gigantic. As Jaan Tallinn, investor of the major AI lab Anthropic, puts it: “I’ve not met anyone in AI labs who says the risk [from training a next-generation model] is less than 1% of blowing up the planet”.

Let us be clear: continuing risky AI development, and eventually undergoing the intelligence explosion that leads to an uncontrollable superintelligence, is a terrible idea. We will not be able to navigate it safely. We lack the technical solutions, the coordination, the insight, the wisdom, and the experience to do something this complex right on the first try. As humans, we are good at solving problems with trial-and-error processes where we get lots of tries. But in the case of an intelligence explosion, we cannot use this strategy, since the first trial of uncontrolled superintelligence could be disastrous.

Why we should pause AI development

So what is the alternative? An AI Pause. This would mean that governments prohibit training any AI model with capabilities likely to exceed GPT-4. This can be determined by examining the amount of computation required for training, corrected over time for improvements in algorithmic efficiency. These leading models can only be trained at large AI companies or data centers, making the enforcement of such a pause realistic.

Since the leading labs are currently located in the U.S. and the U.K., implementing a pause at a national level in those two countries can be done on very short notice. In the medium term, the competitive dynamics between nations will require international legislation and collaboration, where an international AI agency would help. The U.K. is already planning to host an AI safety summit in autumn, which is a fitting moment to sign a treaty that implements an international AI Pause. Excluding important countries, especially China, from such a summit might not be wise, since they will be needed as well in the medium term. For the longer term, hardware regulation—such as making sure new consumer hardware cannot be used for large-scale AI training, while closely monitoring all hardware that can be—is a promising option to practically enforce a pause. Research into this topic needs to be scaled up rapidly to arrive at robust and implementable solutions.

Further AI development may continue only after regulating authorities are convinced that training and deploying a certain AI model will not risk an uncontrolled intelligence explosion or a takeover scenario. Second-order effects, such as making hard-to-control open-source development easier, should be taken into account in such decisions.

Read More: What to Know About Claude 2, Anthropic’s Rival to ChatGPT

Continuing beyond the red line, and thus risking an intelligence explosion or a takeover, should only be allowed after meeting the strictest of requirements. First of all, the technical alignment problem should be decisively solved. Other major issues, such as aggregating humanity’s different value systems, limiting unforeseen externalities, and many more, will also need to be addressed.

A pause may be seen by some as unrealistic. They might say that we cannot stop technological progress for a speculative scenario, that market forces are too strong to counter, or that opposing countries can never coordinate. But bear in mind that as a society, we have barely begun to let the truth sink in: we are risking human extinction here. AI existential risk is still not taken as seriously as it should be. But that is changing. Leading AI academics, such as ‘fathers of AI’ Geoffrey Hinton and Yoshua Bengio, have sounded public warnings about AI’s existential risk, because they saw the technology getting more capable. This process is unlikely to stop: AI’s capabilities will grow further, and this will lead to more and more debate leaders sounding the alarm bells. When the full weight of our situation sinks in, measures that may appear unrealistic at present, could rapidly gain support.

As humanity, we will realise the situation that we are in. We will come together, and we will find a solution, as we always have. And, sooner than we think, we will implement an AI Pause.

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Contact us at letters@time.com.

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International cooperation has also increased, with the UK hosting the first global AI Safety Summit at Bletchley Park, where leaders from countries including the US and China discussed collective management of AI risks, resulting in the "Bletchley Declaration" calling for international collaboration on AI safety .

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UN General Assembly Unanimously Adopts AI Resolution, Spearheaded by US and 123 Nations

The United Nations General Assembly's adoption of a historic AI resolution marks a significant step towards global digital equity and responsible AI usage.

Shivani Chauhan
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The United Nations General Assembly made a historic leap towards global digital equity and responsible technological development by adopting the first resolution on artificial intelligence (AI). Spearheaded by the United States and co-sponsored by an impressive coalition of 123 countries, this groundbreaking resolution aims to harness AI's potential while ensuring it is developed and deployed in ways that safeguard human rights and promote international cooperation. The unanimous adoption underscores a rare global consensus on the need to govern the burgeoning power of AI technologies.

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Building a Global Framework for AI

In an era characterized by geopolitical tensions and technological rivalries, the resolution represents a significant achievement in international diplomacy. Over several months, the United States, alongside nations with diverse political and economic backgrounds including Russia, China, and Cuba, worked tirelessly to negotiate the resolution's text. Their efforts culminated in a document that emphasizes the importance of making AI technologies safe, secure, and trustworthy. By establishing a baseline of principles for AI development and use, the resolution sets a path towards leveraging AI for societal benefits while managing associated risks.

Closing the Digital Divide

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Central to the resolution is its focus on narrowing the digital gap between developed and developing nations. It calls for inclusive discussions on AI, ensuring that all countries, regardless of their economic status, have a seat at the table. Moreover, the resolution highlights the necessity for developing countries to access the technology and capabilities needed to tap into AI's advantages. These include improving healthcare, agricultural productivity, disaster management, and workforce training. This inclusive approach aims not only to foster technological advancement but also to promote equitable global development.

Charting the Future of AI Governance

The resolution acknowledges the rapid pace of AI development and the urgent need for a cohesive global stance on its governance. With the European Union setting a precedent through the adoption of comprehensive AI regulations, and other major economies, including the U.S. and China, moving in a similar direction, the U.N.'s initiative seeks to harmonize these efforts. It encourages stakeholders from across sectors to develop and support regulatory frameworks that ensure AI systems are safe and beneficial. Importantly, it also addresses the potential misuse of AI, advocating for safeguards that are consistent with international law and respect human rights.

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The Global Partnership on AI and other multilateral efforts are working to ensure that AI benefits society while managing its risks .

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Content: Friday, 22 September, 2023, 11:45 PM
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Is AI integration in Bangladesh’s businesses a double-edged sword?

Published : Friday, 22 September, 2023 at 12:00 AM  Count : 198
Farin Sabrina; Mohammad Shahidul Islam

The adoption of AI stands out among the many significant steps Bangladesh has taken toward a tech-driven future. When applied to business, AI can completely transform how companies are managed. We must keep sight of the potential implications this may have on our society, particularly regarding ethics, equality, and accountability, even though AI helps businesses advance with increased efficiency and smaller error margins.

Automation of laborious tasks, analysis of large data sets, and providing insightful actions are just some of the many benefits AI brings to businesses in Bangladesh. The most important thing is to figure out how much money this progress will cost. Despite our excitement about AI and its revolutionary potential, we must tread carefully as we consider the social consequences of its broad adoption.

Many obstacles must be overcome before artificial intelligence may be used ethically in business contexts. One primary source of worry is the potential for discrimination and prejudice in AI algorithms that play a crucial role in decision-making. Considering the situation of a financial institution in Bangladesh that has used a loan approval system powered by AI. Since this AI was taught using historical data, it may unwittingly reflect and perpetuate the societal prejudices present in the material it was trained on. For instance, the AI may continue to deny loans to persons from particular areas regardless of their creditworthiness if the data indicates a prejudice against granting loans to residents of these areas due to higher default rates. Even if the bias were accidental, this would still be the case. This hypothetical situation illustrates the ethical severe concern that AI can aggravate pre-existing societal inequalities.

Another instance would be a corporation in Bangladesh using AI for hiring purposes; this AI would be trained using information about open positions in the company's history. For example, the company has a history of giving preferential treatment to candidates from specific educational backgrounds or social classes. This trend could be perpetuated by AI, resulting in an unfair employment process that excludes qualified people from lower socioeconomic backgrounds.

These incidents underscore the need for transparency in AI decision-making, proactive approaches to reduce prejudice, and fairness in algorithmic decision-making. Bangladesh's industries are looking into the potential of AI, and as they do so, they must find a middle ground between technological progress and ethical standards. Ethical standards and policies must be established to ensure that businesses can successfully navigate the AI landscape and that societal well-being can be sustained alongside innovation.

Given AI's pervasive effect across all sectors in Bangladesh, we must look at the impacts on employment patterns. Despite AI's promise to advance humanity, it also threatens to automate away some jobs. For example, Bangladesh's textile industry employs a sizable proportion of the country's labour force. If AI-powered technology is widely adopted, it has the potential to render many of the current tasks associated with the manual production of textiles unnecessary. These sudden job losses may widen the unemployment gap and social tensions.

Furthermore, the ready-made garments (RMG) sector employs millions of individuals, many of whom have specialized skills essential to the success of the RMG industry and the economy in Bangladesh. The widespread unemployment that could emerge from introducing AI technology in this area without simultaneously launching a workforce re-skilling program will widen the gap between the skilled and unskilled labour force.

A more egalitarian transition into an AI-driven economy is possible, but only if preventative measures are taken, such as providing extensive AI literacy and skills training programs. Every segment of Bangladeshi society must stay caught up to the rest of the country during this period of technological revolution.

The need to strike a balance between stimulating innovation and retaining social responsibility is a fundamental problem posed by the integration of AI into the existing corporate ecosystem in Bangladesh. During this change, businesses must recognize that they must be ethical stewards. Chatbots and AI-assisted credit scoring are just two examples of AI-driven services that, if implemented correctly, may drastically improve the customer experience and the speed businesses carry out their daily tasks. For instance, it is crucial to the system's fairness to ensure that the AI-assisted credit scoring system does not discriminate based on location or socioeconomic status.

Businesses adopting AI should not do anything compromising customers' personal information. As AI becomes more widespread in sectors like e-commerce and telecoms, companies have a duty to their customers to protect their data and only use it in ways that align with acceptable privacy practices.

To prevent AI from further aggravating societal inequalities, it is critical to address the issue of algorithmic bias. AI employed in hiring, for instance, shouldn't discriminate based on a candidate's socioeconomic status or alma mater. Instead, it ought to be based on merit.  As a result, as more businesses in Bangladesh employ AI, the ethical framework and legislation governing its deployment need to be explicitly established. Fairness, openness, privacy, and bias should all be factored into these plans. Taking such a cautious approach would allow businesses to harness AI's promise in a way that benefits society and technology equally.

How can we retain social responsibility while fostering innovation by introducing AI into the commercial sector in Bangladesh? During this change, businesses must recognize and embrace their role as ethical guardians. For example, AI-based diagnostic technologies have the potential to revolutionize the way patients are cared for and illnesses are handled in the medical field. In a country like Bangladesh, where there is a significant disparity between the levels of healthcare resources accessible in urban and rural areas, the deployment of AI needs to be approached with the utmost prudence.

These advancements may leave behind under-resourced healthcare facilities in rural areas, widening the existing disparities in service. However, these developments could significantly benefit state-of-the-art medical facilities like Dhaka. Due to the stakes, the healthcare industry must adopt a transparent, fair, and methodical approach to deploying AI. Healthcare providers in rural areas may only benefit as much from artificial intelligence capabilities if the government and healthcare organizations prioritize improving the infrastructure in those places.

Furthermore, algorithmic bias remains a serious issue, with the potential to make AI worsen societal inequalities. For instance, AI used in hiring should be trained to favour people based on their skills and experience, not their family background or where they went to college.

This would guarantee that candidates are chosen according to their actual merits. To reach this objective, businesses must ensure that AI development teams are inclusive, perform regular bias checks, and hone their AI algorithms until they can provide a merit-based solution.

Finally, firms in Bangladesh need to approach the AI revolution with an ethical compass if they want to succeed. Concerns like fairness, transparency, privacy, and minimizing bias should all be factored into the legislation and standards regulating AI's introduction.

To this end, firms can collaborate with AI ethicists, policymakers, and other stakeholders to establish audit systems and formulate ethical guidelines for using AI.

Governments must also do their bit by laying out comprehensive guidelines for AI and enforcing them. By taking these precautions, we can steer the AI transition responsibly, fostering an environment where innovation may flourish without endangering people's lives.

Farin Sabrina, BBA Student, BRAC Business School, BRAC University and Dr. Mohammad Shahidul Islam, Assistant Professor of Marketing, BRAC Business School, BRAC University

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Experts have called for at least one-third of AI research funding to be dedicated to safety and ethical considerations, reflecting a growing consensus on the importance of robust safety measures as AI evolves .

What does Hinton warn could happen to AI if companies and regulators fail to implement effective rules and controls?

The ethical implications of AI technologies are a central concern.

The ethical implications of AI technologies are a central concern.

Hinton and other experts warn that AI systems can perpetuate existing biases, leading to discriminatory outcomes in areas like hiring, lending, and law enforcement .

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Content: The Impact of Artificial Intelligence on Society

Moatsim Nasir

Artificial Intelligence (AI) has become an increasingly prevalent technology today, with its impact being felt across various industries. AI has the potential to revolutionize the way we live, work, and interact with each other. From autonomous vehicles to intelligent personal assistants, AI can transform the world around us in ways that were once thought impossible. However, as AI advances, questions about its impact on society are raised. Will it create new opportunities or lead to job displacement? How will it affect privacy and security? The answers to these questions will shape the future of AI and its role in our lives.

The Positive Impact of AI on Society

Improved Healthcare

The integration of AI in healthcare has revolutionized how we approach medical diagnosis, treatment, and patient care. With the ability to process vast amounts of data quickly and accurately, AI algorithms can help clinicians make more informed decisions and provide personalized patient treatment plans. This has improved patient outcomes, reduced medical errors, and increased efficiency in healthcare delivery. AI-powered medical imaging and diagnostics have also helped detect diseases at earlier stages, leading to better chances of recovery and survival. Moreover, AI has enabled healthcare providers to optimize resource allocation, reduce healthcare costs, and improve access to healthcare in underserved communities. Overall, the positive impact of AI in healthcare is undeniable, and its potential to transform the healthcare industry is only beginning to be realized.

Enhanced Education

The integration of AI in education has brought about a significant transformation in the way we learn, teach, and assess students. With the ability to process vast amounts of data and adapt to individual learning needs, AI algorithms can provide personalized learning experiences to students, enhancing their engagement and motivation. Moreover, AI-powered educational tools such as chatbots, virtual tutors, and intelligent learning management systems can provide students with real-time feedback, support, and guidance, leading to better academic performance and higher retention rates. AI-powered analytics can also help educators to track student progress and identify areas where students need more support, enabling them to adjust teaching strategies accordingly. Additionally, AI-powered assessment tools can provide a more accurate and objective evaluation of student performance, reducing the potential for bias and subjectivity. Overall, the positive impact of AI in education is immense, and its potential to revolutionize the way we learn and teach is vast.

Increased Efficiency and Productivity

The integration of AI in various industries has brought about a significant increase in efficiency and productivity. AI-powered automation has enabled businesses to automate repetitive tasks, allowing employees to focus on more strategic and creative tasks. This has increased productivity and reduced errors, resulting in cost savings and increased profits. Moreover, AI-powered decision-making systems can analyze vast amounts of data quickly and accurately, providing insights that humans may miss and enabling businesses to make more informed decisions. Additionally, AI-powered supply chain management systems can optimize inventory levels, reduce wastage, and improve delivery times, increasing customer satisfaction. Furthermore, AI-powered predictive maintenance systems can detect equipment failures before they occur, reducing downtime and maintenance costs. Overall, the positive impact of AI on efficiency and productivity is significant, and its potential to transform how businesses operate is vast.

Improved Safety and Security

The integration of AI in safety and security has significantly improved how we detect and prevent potential threats. AI-powered surveillance systems can analyze real-time data and identify potential security breaches, enabling authorities to respond quickly and effectively. Additionally, AI-powered predictive analytics can help identify potential risks before they occur, enabling authorities to take preventive measures. Moreover, AI-powered biometric identification systems can enhance security by accurately identifying individuals, reducing the potential for fraud and identity theft. Furthermore, AI-powered natural language processing systems can help law enforcement agencies analyze vast amounts of data, enabling them to detect patterns and uncover potential criminal activity. Overall, the positive impact of AI on safety and security is immense, and its potential to enhance public safety and prevent criminal activity is vast.

The Negative Impact of AI on Society

Job Displacement

The widespread adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) technologies is causing significant job displacement across many industries, potentially negatively impacting individuals, families, and society. As machines become more capable of performing tasks previously done by humans, workers may be replaced by automation, leading to unemployment or underemployment. This can have many negative consequences, including reduced income, loss of job-related benefits, and increased social and economic inequality. Moreover, displaced workers may face challenges in retraining for new careers or finding new employment, particularly in areas where AI has disrupted many industries. Addressing the negative impact of job displacement due to AI will be crucial for creating a more equitable and sustainable future for all.

Privacy Concerns

The rise of AI technologies has also led to increased privacy concerns, potentially negatively impacting individuals and society. AI systems are often designed to collect vast amounts of data about individuals, including personal and sensitive information, such as biometric data, browsing history, and social media activity. This data can be used to train AI algorithms and improve their accuracy, but it can also be misused, hacked, or sold to third parties without the consent or knowledge of the individuals concerned. Moreover, AI systems may make decisions that significantly impact people's lives, such as determining eligibility for loans, insurance, or employment, raising questions about fairness, transparency, and accountability. Addressing privacy concerns related to AI will require careful consideration of ethical and legal frameworks that protect individuals' rights while enabling the benefits of AI technologies to be realized.

Bias and Discrimination

Another negative impact of AI in society is the potential for bias and discrimination. AI algorithms are trained on vast amounts of data; if this data is biased, the resulting AI models will be biased too. This can lead to discriminatory hiring, lending, and criminal justice outcomes, perpetuating and even amplifying existing social and economic inequalities. For example, facial recognition systems are less accurate in identifying people of color and women, leading to increased misidentification and false arrests. Additionally, AI systems may be influenced by the biases of their designers or the data they are trained on, leading to unintended discriminatory outcomes. Addressing bias and discrimination in AI will require ongoing efforts to ensure that data used to train AI models is diverse and representative and that the design and deployment of AI systems are subject to rigorous ethical and legal standards.

Increased Dependency

The increasing use of AI in various aspects of society has led to an alarming level of dependency on technology. While AI has undoubtedly revolutionized many industries and made many tasks more efficient, the negative impacts of over-reliance on AI cannot be ignored. As people become more reliant on machines and algorithms to make decisions and perform tasks, they become less capable of doing those things themselves. This can lead to a loss of critical thinking and problem-solving skills and a decreased ability to adapt to new situations. Furthermore, the potential for AI to make mistakes or perpetuate biases can have serious consequences when people blindly trust and follow its decisions. Ultimately, while AI can be a valuable tool, it is essential to recognize and mitigate its negative impacts on society's overall abilities and autonomy.

Ethical Considerations and Regulations

As AI advances and becomes more integrated into society, ethical considerations and regulations must be a top priority. AI has the potential to impact people's lives in significant ways, such as affecting their employment, privacy, and even their physical safety. Therefore, it is essential to ensure that the development and use of AI align with ethical principles, such as fairness, transparency, and accountability. Additionally, regulations must be put in place to prevent the misuse of AI and protect against potential harm. This includes laws around data privacy and security, as well as guidelines for developing and deploying AI systems. The responsibility for ensuring ethical considerations and regulations falls on various stakeholders, from individual developers and organizations to government agencies and policymakers. By addressing these issues, we can ensure that AI is used for the benefit of society while mitigating potential harm.

Upshot

The impact of artificial intelligence on society has been both transformative and complex. AI has brought many benefits, from increased efficiency and productivity to medical breakthroughs and scientific discoveries. However, it has also raised important ethical considerations and regulatory challenges, including the potential loss of jobs, the perpetuation of biases, and threats to privacy and security. As AI continues to evolve, we must approach its development and implementation with careful consideration and accountability. By working together to ensure that AI is developed and used ethically and responsibly, we can harness its potential to improve society and create a better future for all.

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Content: The ‘Godfather of AI’ warns about potential dangers of the technology as he quits Google

British-Canadian computer scientist Geoffrey Hinton admits he has fears for the future of AI

In a Frankenstein-esque tale of maker and master, Geoffrey Hinton, 75, dubbed ‘the godfather of AI’, has left Google with a parting warning over the dangers of artificial intelligence.

In 2012, the British-Canadian computer scientist invented technology with two students at University of Toronto that would become the intellectual foundation for AI systems. Google purchased the rights to this neural network tech to the tune of $44 million, which also propelled Dr Hinton to receive the Turing Award in 2018, considered the Nobel Prize of computing.

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Yet now, Dr Hinton has packed in the day job at Google to join a chorus of anxious experts demanding a rollback of AI research until more robust safety measures are designed and deployed. Dr Hinton told the BBC: ‘Right now, they’re not more intelligent than us, as far as I can tell. But I think they soon may be.’

While many look upon AI as a natural technological development akin to the internet that could lead to exciting breakthroughs for humanity, there are growing fears that AI is a Pandora’s box. Reflecting on the effects of his work, Dr Hinton said: ‘I console myself with the normal excuse: If I hadn’t done it, somebody would have,’ as he admitted, ‘it is hard to see how you can prevent the bad actors from using it for bad things.’

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The scientist went on to warn that AI could be taught to ‘create sub-goals like “I need to get more power”’, and be harnessed by nefarious actors to wreak havoc. With innovation driven forward by the unstoppable competition between behemoths like Google and Microsoft, Dr Hinton warned innovation will only increase exponentially in the coming years.

There are those who are trying to apply the brakes to this runaway train. In March, an open letter was signed by over 1,000 tech leaders and researchers, including Elon Musk and fellow Turing Award winner Yoshu Bengio, calling for a six-month moratorium on AI development. A few days later, 19 leaders of the Association for the Advancement of Artificial Intelligence released their own letter on the risks of AI. The signatures included that of Eric Horvitz, chief scientific officer at Microsoft.

The main outcry over AI lies in its ability to create and disseminate false news and images, which the public may find increasingly hard to identify. AI also poses a threat to academia and careers (see: Tatler’s foray into the world of ChatGPT). Dr Hinton believes that AI will fundamentally disrupt the workplace and take over the ‘drudge work’.

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However Google’s chief scientist, Jeff Dean, offered words of comfort, adding: 'We remain committed to a responsible approach to AI. We’re continually learning to understand emerging risks while also innovating boldly.’

What does Hinton warn could happen to AI if companies and regulators fail to implement effective rules and controls?

What does Hinton warn could happen to AI if companies and regulators fail to implement effective rules and controls?

The use of AI in surveillance and political contexts raises questions about privacy, civil liberties, and the integrity of democratic processes, especially with the rise of generative AI technologies capable of creating deepfakes and spreading misinformation .

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Content:     The Economic Times daily newspaper is available online now.

    China, US and EU agree to work together on AI safety at UK summit

    Synopsis

    In a first for Western efforts to manage its safe development, a Chinese vice minister joined US and EU leaders and tech bosses such as Elon Musk and ChatGPT's Sam Altman at Bletchley Park, home of Britain's World War Two code-breakers.

    China agreed to work with the United States, European Union and other countries to collectively manage the risk from artificial intelligence at a British summit on Wednesday aimed at charting a safe way forward for the rapidly evolving technology.

    Some tech executives and political leaders have warned the rapid development of AI poses an existential threat to the world if not controlled, sparking a race by governments and international institutions to design safeguards and regulation.

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    In a first for Western efforts to manage its safe development, a Chinese vice minister joined US and EU leaders and tech bosses such as Elon Musk and ChatGPT's Sam Altman at Bletchley Park, home of Britain's World War Two code-breakers.

    More than 25 countries present, including the United States and China, as well as the EU, signed a "Bletchley Declaration" saying countries needed to work together and establish a common approach on oversight.

    The declaration set out a two-pronged agenda focused on identifying risks of shared concern and building scientific understanding of them, while also developing cross-country policies to mitigate them.

    Wu Zhaohui, China's vice minister of science and technology, told the opening session of the two-day summit that Beijing was ready to increase collaboration on AI safety to help build an international "governance framework".

    "Countries regardless of their size and scale have equal rights to develop and use AI," he said.

    Fears about the impact AI could have on economies and society took off in November last year when Microsoft-backed OpenAI made ChatGPT available to the public.

    Using natural language processing tools to create human-like dialogue, it has stoked fears, including among some AI pioneers, that machines could in time achieve greater intelligence than humans, leading to unlimited, unintended consequences.

    Governments and officials are now trying to chart a way forward alongside AI companies which fear being weighed down by regulation before the technology reaches its full potential.

    "I don't know what necessarily the fair rules are, but you've got to start with insight before you do oversight," the billionaire Musk told reporters, adding that a "third-party referee" could be used to sound the alarm when risks develop.

    While the European Union has focused its AI oversight on data privacy and surveillance and their potential impact on human rights, the British summit is looking at so-called existential risks from highly capable general-purpose models called "frontier AI".

    Mustafa Suleyman, the cofounder of Google Deepmind, told reporters he did not think current AI frontier models posed any "significant catastrophic harms" but said it made sense to plan ahead as the industry trains ever larger models.

    Code-breaker venue

    The summit is the brainchild of British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, who wants to carve out a post-Brexit role for his country as an intermediary between the economic blocs of the United States, China and the EU.

    British digital minister Michelle Donelan said it was an achievement just to get so many key players in one room. She announced two further AI Safety Summits, one to be held in South Korea in six months and another in France six months after that.

    "For the first time, we now have countries agreeing that we need to look not just independently but collectively at the risk around frontier AI," Donelan told reporters.

    Just as tech companies compete for dominance in AI, governments are jostling to lead the way on regulation.

    China is a key participant at the summit, given the country's role in developing AI. But some British lawmakers have questioned whether it should be there given the low level of trust between Beijing, Washington and many European capitals when it comes to Chinese involvement in technology.

    The United States made clear on the eve of the summit that the call to Beijing had very much come from Britain, with its Ambassador to London, Jane Hartley, telling Reuters: "This is the UK invitation, this is not the US"

    US Vice President Kamala Harris's decision to give a speech in London on Wednesday about her government's response to AI, and hold some meetings with attendees away from the summit, meaning they may have to leave early, also raised some eyebrows.

    Sachin Dev Duggal, founder of London-based AI firm Builder.ai said it risked undermining the event's core focus, while some lawmakers from Sunak's Conservative Party suggested Washington was trying to overshadow his summit.

    British officials denied that, saying they wanted as many voices as possible.

    Just days after US President Joe Biden signed an executive order on AI, his government used the British summit to announce it would launch a US AI Safety Institute.

    Harris will meet Sunak later on Wednesday, including for dinner, and attend the summit's second day on Thursday.
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What does Hinton warn could happen to AI if companies and regulators fail to implement effective rules and controls?

What risks did Hinton associate with AI's rapid advancement?

What does Hinton warn could happen to AI if companies and regulators fail to implement effective rules and controls?

What risks did Hinton associate with AI's rapid advancement?

Addressing these challenges requires diverse and representative data sets, transparency, and rigorous ethical standards in AI development .

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Jan Brauner is a Ph.D. researcher in Artificial Intelligence at the University of Oxford, focusing on the safety of AI systems and their application in public health.
Alan Chan is a Ph.D. student at Mila, a research institute in Montreal focusing on AI, where he works on technical and socio-technical problems in AI safety. He's particularly interested in evaluation and AI regulation.

In May, more than 100 artificial intelligence (AI) professors, including some of the field's leading experts, scholars from other areas, and AI executives signed a one-sentence statement: "Mitigating the risk of extinction from AI should be a global priority alongside other societal-scale risks such as pandemics and nuclear war.” Many signing researchers have explained their reason for worry: the risk that we might build powerful AI systems that we cannot control within this decade or the next ones.

Some have suggested the statement is an industry ploy to hype up AI companies’ products or influence regulation, ignoring that most of the signatories—ourselves included—are academics who do not work for industry. But the most common concern we have heard is that, by focusing on the risk of extinction, the statement distracts from present-day AI harms. As volunteers involved in collecting signatures for and constructing the statement, we disagree because both problems share a common core. The false dichotomy between ongoing harms and emergent risks makes it needlessly difficult to address common root causes.

AI poses many ongoing problems. AI systems can sustain human rights abuses, perpetuate systemic discrimination, and entrench power imbalances. Because AI systems are often widely deployed, harms can reach massive scales. For example, tens of thousands of families were pushed into poverty when the Dutch Tax and Customs Administration wrongly accused them of fraud and requested they pay back large sums of money, based on risk profiles created with AI systems.

The root causes of AI harm

There are several root causes that contribute to many instances of the harm caused by AI. One is that we do not know how to design AI systems that reliably behave exactly as we intend them to. For example, a health system was designed to allocate care based on need but discriminated against Black hospital patients. It turned out the algorithm used health care costs as a proxy for need, but institutionalized racism means that less money has been spent on Black patients historically. In many similar cases, companies do not explicitly set out to build harmful AI systems. Instead, creating state-of-the-art AI systems requires vast amounts of data, and the AI systems unintendedly inherit the biases encoded in this data.

Another cause is competitive pressures and limited accountability. There is often a strong economic incentive to deploy AI systems without sufficient safety checks. For example, Microsoft rushed the release of the Bing chatbot, which resulted in the chatbot threatening and insulting users. When the Dutch Tax Administration replaced human judgment with AI systems, this, too, happened in the name of efficiency.

Without decisive action to address these root causes, increasingly powerful and widely deployed AI systems will cause even more pervasive and significant harm. Many experts believe future AI systems may outmatch humans in crucial cognitive skills, such as social persuasion, planning, and development of novel technologies. Just as these cognitive abilities enabled humanity to control the fate of other species, the same skills could enable smarter AI systems to out-perform us. Given competition and limited accountability, there would be pressure on organizations to replace expensive human labor with AI systems. Economic forces encourage the rapid deployment of new AI systems (at the cost of safety testing), making them ever more powerful, building general (and potentially more powerful) systems rather than narrow (and potentially more controllable) systems, and increasing the autonomy of AI systems to take action in the world. AI systems could increasingly control our society's key productive, managerial, and military capacities. By then, we must have figured out how to design systems that always and truly behave as we intend. Otherwise, powerful AI systems that pursue goals at odds with humanity could lead to human marginalization or even extinction.

Read More: An AI Pause is Humanity's Best Bet for Preventing Extinction

Moreover, many researchers expect us to develop such advanced AI systems very soon. Companies are pouring more money and talent into AI development while the cost of computing power is decreasing. Simply using more computing power and data has reliably produced more capable AI systems, while AI algorithms have also improved. After seeing the rapid progress in AI over the past five years, Geoffrey Hinton, a founding father of modern AI, now expects that AI could broadly surpass human cognitive abilities—such as persuasion, planning, and scientific reasoning—within five to 20 years. Such time horizons are shared by many in the AI research community.

Twenty years is short; in discussions about the climate crisis, we regularly consider effects on such timescales. And just as climate change requires us to face air pollution and ongoing natural disasters as well as prevent future, even more, extreme weather events, we must tackle various AI risks and harms simultaneously. Even if we might be a couple of decades away from AI systems that are smarter than humans, that is little time to create the complex global governance structures necessary for this technology.

Work to address ongoing harms sometimes differs from work to manage extinction risk. We do not wish to erase nuance or potential differences between the perspectives. Yet, given common root causes, there is much room for collaboration and cooperation.

Four possible interventions

Many interventions could address the root problems. First, the public currently has little to no say over what models are built and how they are deployed. For example, those most affected by welfare systems have had little say in their automation. Private companies decide which risks are acceptable, as they have free rein over computing power and data, the key levers of AI development. Stronger democratic oversight over the supply of computing power and data would enhance public control over AI development and associated risks. For example, governments can monitor when large amounts of computing power are being used and for what purpose.

Second, a strong auditing regime, where independent third-parties would scrutinize the practices and development processes of AI labs, would help reduce risks overall. Auditing has already surfaced previously overlooked harms, such as bias in facial recognition, and could catch future failure modes like AI systems subverting human control or replicating autonomously. A standards body could ensure  AI systems, both before and after deployment, meet specified safety guidelines. Domestic agencies could enforce compliance, while an international organization would create universal standards.

Third, we should require meaningful human oversight of critical AI decisions, and avoid very-high-risk use cases such as lethal autonomous weapons. Uncertainty about AI systems' current and near-future capabilities means we should proceed cautiously around their deployment in critical domains.

Fourth, we should rebalance the  funding going into AIs and urge companies to spend less on making them smarter while increasing funding into making them safer, more transparent, and studying their social impacts. While it is good that industry labs are funding such research, this funding is liable to change with market conditions. Much more public funding for non-industry groups is required.

The development of increasingly powerful AI systems poses increasingly vast societal-scale risks. The complexity of these risks requires cooperation between people with potentially different motivations but with a shared interest in ensuring that AI development proceeds in a just and beneficial way.

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What does Hinton warn could happen to AI if companies and regulators fail to implement effective rules and controls?

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What does Hinton warn could happen to AI if companies and regulators fail to implement effective rules and controls?

Hinton’s resignation and warnings have catalyzed a critical dialogue

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Hinton’s resignation and warnings have catalyzed a critical dialogue