Microsoft’s chief scientific officer, Eric Horvitz, has addressed the open letter calling for a pause on AI development, signed by thousands– including Elon Musk. In an interview with Fortune, Horvitz said that instead of a pause, he would prefer to see an acceleration of research and development. He believes a pause is impracticable and too short-term to make a difference.
Microsoft is a technology giant specializing in developing, manufacturing, and licensing computer software, personal computers, consumer electronics, and services. It is one of the world’s most valuable companies and its products are used in over 140 countries. Microsoft currently employs over 137,000 people globally.
Elon Musk is a renowned South African-born American entrepreneur that has founded and funded numerous projects relating to space exploration, electric cars, and artificial intelligence. Aside from his business pursuits, he is known for championing sustainable energy and solutions to climate change. He co-founded OpenAI in 2015, but later stepped down in 2018. Musk recently announced his plans to launch an AI startup to rival OpenAI’s ChatGPT.
