Microsoft’s President Brad Smith believes that China is likely to become a major competitor in the development of generative artificial intelligence technologies, popularly known as ChatGPT. Smith gave an interview to Nikkei Asia where he shared his opinion on the state of innovation in this technology, pointing out the importance of the race between leading organizations such as ChatGPT OpenAI partnered with Microsoft, Google, and the Beijing Academy of Artificial Intelligence.
According to Smith, the challenge between these organizations is “enormously competitive” and the gap between them can be measured in months, not years. This generative AI technology is capable of creating text and images of near-human quality thanks to the use of artificial intelligence.
Microsoft is one of the leading companies in technology today, and its president is aware of the possible risks that ChatGPT technology can bring. Some of the most notable risks that Smith identified include the automation of many tasks, the spread of misinformation, the infringement of copyrights, the compromise of privacy, and the leak of sensitive information if misused.
Smith believes that the way to combat these risks is not by stopping the development and use of artificial intelligence, but by building on and improving existing products in order to address any possible issues that may arise. He also highlighted the potential use of AI technology as a weapon because it can be deployed in combination with other technologies to target an opponent in cyber-attack situations.
In addition, Smith emphasized the potential of generative AI to counter labor shortages, which are a major challenge in many Asian countries. When the labor force of an economy is supporting a larger number people who have retired, there is a need for more sources of productivity growth. Smith believes that AI has the potential to provide this if the collaboration between the best minds and technologies is maximized.
ChatGPT is currently being used by Microsoft as part of their defense against cyberattacks, with its AI technology being used for identification and interception. Therefore, not only can the technology can be used to benefit the societies where it is deployed but it can also protect the country from the advances of their foes.
