Warren Buffett, investor extraordinaire, expressed his wariness of OpenAI’s chatGPT artificial intelligence (AI) during his appearance on CNBC’s Squawk Box. ChatGPT is a conversational AI bot created by OpenAI that has prompted a battle between tech titans like Microsoft (NASDAQ: MSFT) and others.
Responding to the question of whether he had assessed what kind of impact these AI developments might have on the economy or how dangerous they could be, Buffett said that he didn’t understand them at all. He commented that it was an incredible advancement in terms of what we can do, but it also scared him with the possibility of what it may do.
Buffett also recounted what happened when Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates showed him how to use chatGPT. They put a prompt in, and in two seconds the bot responded with a range of answers. He gave his approval of AI technology, noting that chatGPT has read every book and legal opinion, making it incredibly time-saving. Despite this, he had misgivings about it, feeling that AI can become a powerful tool in the hands of humans, and that the power of such technology could run the world.
To further emphasize the power of technology and AI, Buffett brought up the analogy of the Atom Bomb to illustrate how something small can change the world. He said that he did not want to create something again where the consequences are unknown.
Microsoft (NASDAQ: MSFT) is a technology giant and the world’s largest software maker headquartered in Redmond, Washington, U.S. The company develops a wide array of products and services, including the Windows, Office, Xbox, and Skype software. It is also known for its pioneering roles in the fields of AI and cloud computing.
Warren Buffett is a renowned American investor who is considered by many as one of the world’s most successful investors, with an estimated wealth of around $109 billion. He is the chairman and largest shareholder of Berkshire Hathaway, a company he has turned into one of the world’s most successful companies. He has been the recipient of numerous honors and accolades, including being named one of the world’s most influential people by Time Magazine.
