OpenAI, an artificial intelligence research organization led by Sam Altman, Greg Brockman, and Ilya Sutskever, has advocated for an international watchdog to oversee the development of artificial intelligence. They argue that something akin to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) is necessary in order to ensure that the technology is used ethically and safely. An international body could function as an inspector of systems, requiring audits, testing compliance with security standards, controlling degrees of deployment, and placing limits on the amount of processing power available.
At a recent Senate session to witness discussion of artificial intelligence, Altman expressed his preference for tighter regulation of the technology, noting the importance of oversight for tools like ChatGPT. However, there have been mixed reactions to the proposed regulations, with some lawmakers claiming that the hearing celebrated AI technology rather than holding developers to account. Experts from the AI Now Institute and UCLA stressed the need for stronger public control to ensure that companies are taking the necessary precautions.
Former Google CEO Eric Schmidt, on the other hand, claims that only industry professionals can understand the capabilities of the technology, and therefore recommended leaving AI regulation in the hands of the companies.
In response to the debate, Senator Michael Bennet proposed a bill that would create a federal digital platform commission setting out rules to monitor the progress of the industry. However, the bill does not specify the details of a possible licensing program for AI tools.
OpenAI is a research organization focusing on artificial intelligence, co-founded by Sam Altman, Greg Brockman, and Ilya Sutskever. OpenAI is currently owned by a consortium of investors, including Microsoft and Alphabet. OpenAI’s mission is to develop friendly artificial intelligence within the safe confines of their lab. The research team is dedicated to using AI for the benefit of humanity, and has made its project freely available and open source. The research organization has been vocal in its support for ethical use of AI, and their advocacy of an international body to oversee the development of the technology is one example of their commitment to promoting responsible AI use.
