Few folks have been as outspoken as Elon Musk relating to the potential threats posed by AI.
The billionaire proprietor of SpaceX, Tesla, and the web site previously generally known as Twitter has been sounding the alarm for a number of years, warning of Terminator-like eventualities nicely earlier than the arrival of instruments like ChatGPT took the controversy from nerdy tech circles proper to the center of public discourse.
Mr Musk’s assessments have been bleaker over the previous yr, going as far as to recommend “civilisation destruction” is a attainable end result ought to people ever develop an AI so highly effective that we lose management.
He could also be one thing of a Marmite determine, however we might all agree that might not be best.
Mr Musk may have the proper alternative to air his considerations once more this week on the UK’s AI security summit.
He’ll definitely deliver some star energy and can host an occasion with Rishi Sunak afterwards on X.
Had it taken place every week in the past, their talks might have uncovered an obvious dividing line between them.
Mr Musk has spent a lot of this yr welcoming the prospect of regulation of AI, telling the US Congress again in September there was “overwhelming consensus” for it.
Mr Sunak then again has expressed warning, saying an excessive amount of oversight would stifle innovation.
But after Joe Biden introduced a sweeping set of safeguards this week, Mr Musk appeared to vary his tune.
“Uh oh,” he tweeted, when it was identified the president’s proposals included an order to fight “algorithmic discrimination” and guarantee AI “advances civil rights”.
In one other tweet, he recommended authorities regulation could be one thing we remorse.
Governments do have a tightrope to stroll between wanting to control and inspiring innovation. Mr Musk might merely assume the White House has acquired the steadiness flawed.
AI scientist Dr Christian Guttmann, of Pegasystems, says whereas a “close eye” must be saved on how it’s used, regulation that is too restrictive too early dangers halting vital progress.
With Mr Musk, his scepticism might also simply be one other instance of how his phrases usually contradict his actions.
In March, Mr Musk signed a letter calling for the event of AI to be paused as a result of it was so harmful.
A month later he mentioned he wished to develop his personal rival to ChatGPT, after which launched his personal AI start-up.
The expertise has additionally lengthy been a cornerstone of Tesla, from self-driving vehicles to plans for a humanoid robotic.
Never thoughts Marmite, Musk is extra of a field of sweets relating to his public stance on AI: you by no means know what you are going to get.
It ought to make his X chat with the prime minister an fascinating spectacle.
Source: information.sky.com”