The introduction of OpenAI’s ChatGPT-4 chatbot has generated much excitement as well as a few concerns over the potential of misuse. As a result of this apprehension, some of the world’s leading technology experts have issued a call for a six-month pause in all AI labs and suggested that governments intervene and implement a moratorium if this does not occur. The goal is to protect society and humanity from AI systems that could have human-competitive intelligence and have the potential to pose severe risks. This can be compared to the worry people had around the the Cold War and the fear of nuclear weapons.
On the other hand, with large leaps in technology comes greater advances in our lives. We have seen these advances in the past with the cloning of Dolly, a sheep, in the 1990s that sparked a debate about ethical and moral issues surrounding human cloning and genetic engineering. Through a combination of forces from both the public and private sectors, regulation and control around these advancements have been implemented.
ChatGPT-4 has opened the door for an opportunity to look at how technology advances has and can continue to impact us. A recent study released by UNESCO entitled Artificial Intelligence and Gender Equality has been overshadowed by the current pandemic, however, raising questions about the potential for biases in AI and how this could have a detrimental effect on women and girls. According to the report, biases found in AI devices, datasets, and algorithms can be combated by creating gender-inclusive AI principles and guidelines.
Elon Musk is one of the people who signed the open letter mentioned in the article and he is an influential business magnate and technology entrepreneur who has been integral in the success of Tesla and SpaceX. Along with being a successful entrepreneur, Elon Musk is an environmentalist, making efforts to reduce emissions with electric cars and reusable rockets. This has been seen both in negotiation with governments and by donations to various environmental organizations.
The UNESCO report sheds light on the possible negative consequences of technological advances and encourages us to ensure our technologies are not inherently flawed by gender biases. When developing new technologies, we must keep in mind regulations to observe and effective leadership for constant monitoring. We must also note the unequal access to digital skills and education, as well as the gender disparities of technical teams developing these technologies.
This article serves to remind us of the importance of assessing current technologies and heightening the discussion on how to combat the risks posed by ChatGPT-4 and similar AI systems. While we cannot go back to a time without these advancements, this presents us with an opportune moment to explore the full potential of these advancements while also eliminating existing biases.
