According to AI expert Gary Marcus, fears of artificial intelligence (AI) causing human extinction may be overblown. Marcus, the emeritus professor at New York University, has been cautioning against the rapid development and adoption of AI since the emergence of ChatGPT six months ago. While he does acknowledge that there are risks associated with AI, Marcus believes extinction risk is not concrete enough to be a major concern at the moment. Rather, he is worried about the potential consequences of building AI systems that cannot be adequately controlled.
Marcus has been involved with AI since his high school days, when he developed software to translate Latin into English. After studying child psychology, he founded Geometric Intelligence, a machine learning company that was later acquired by Uber. Despite his involvement in AI, Marcus remains critical of the technology and advocates for more control over its development and applications.
While many experts warn of AI taking over jobs and potentially leading to a future where machines dominate humans, Marcus believes the immediate danger lies in the lack of control over AI systems. He suggests implementing more regulatory measures to ensure that AI technology is developed safely and with clear ethical considerations.
Overall, while Marcus does not dismiss the potential risks associated with AI, he does not believe it is an existential threat to humanity at present. Instead, he urges caution and responsibility in the development and use of AI, with a focus on building systems that are transparent and controllable.
