AI Experts Issue Dire Warning, Say Artificial Intelligence Poses 'Risk Of Extinction'

Leading computer scientists and technologists have sounded the alarm on artificial intelligence, claiming that AI poses a "risk of extinction."

"Mitigating the risk of extinction from AI should be a global priority alongside other societal scale risks such as pandemics and nuclear war,¡± said a group of AI experts in a statement released by the Center for AI Safety, a research and advocacy group.

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Urging countries to regulate AI

Among the signatories are OpenAI CEO Sam Altman (yes, from the same company that's behind ChatGPT), the "godfather of AI" Geoffrey Hinton, Taiwan's digital minister Audrey Tang, and the musician Grimes, among many.

This is the not the first warning of its kind. In March, an open letter signed by Elon Musk and other figures including Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak called for a six-month halt on the development of AI that is more advanced than OpenAI's GPT-4.

Also read: Google's Sundar Pichai Says 'AI Is Too Important Not To Regulate Well'

Reuters

"Powerful AI systems should be developed only once we are confident that their effects will be positive and their risks will be manageable," the letter said.

The development of AI tools has increased concerns about potential negative consequences for society, including loss of livelihood to the spread of misinformation. While AI tools are still far from exercising independent decision-making and general intelligence, Microsoft researchers in March said that GPT-4 showed signs of AGI (artificial general intelligence) and was capable of solving "novel and difficult tasks that span mathematics, coding, vision, medicine, law, psychology and more, without needing any special prompting."

Reuters

More public figures are joining the call to regulate AI as governments scramble to deal with the emerging technology. The "godfather of AI" Geoffrey Hinton left Google last month and said that he'd spend his time advocating the risk of AI.

Also read: ChatGPT's Misjudgment: AI Tool Wrongly Fails More Than Half A Class For Cheating

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has urged the United States Congress to develop regulations for AI, recommending a licensing-based approach. The European Union is also planning to pass legislation by the end of this year that would classify AI into four categories based on the risks posed by such tools.

What do you think about the dangers of AI to humanity? Let us know in the comments below. For more in the world of technology and science, keep reading Indiatimes.com.