Prominent personalities belonging to different walks of life, such as former Niti Ayog Vice Chairman Rajiv Kumar, Zoho Corporation CEO Sridhar Vembu and iSPIRT Foundation Co-Founder Sharad Sharma, have recently written an open letter warning against the potentially catastrophic consequences of Artificial Intelligence (AI) on humanity.
They urged the public to collectively debate and consider utilizing this technology to meet national goals, while acknowledging its transformative potential. Recently, the technology has faced criticism due to its emergent properties, which are not understood by their creators.
It is clear that the use of AI holds great potential to develop a nation such as India, for it can raise labour productivity, create a knowledge economy, and enhance the demographic dividend. However, the same technology could potentially put millions of valuable jobs at risk in an instant.
In this regard, The Future of Life Institute is calling for people to pause the development of AI systems more powerful than GPT-4 and create safety protocols for the technology. It is suggested that India utilise this time to strategize a blueprint for the implementation of AI in order to benefit the nation and its citizens.
The open letter urges all stakeholders to join in the debate, including IT researchers, policymakers, academicians, industry leaders and representatives of civil society. Through this discussion, there is an opportunity to evolve a consensus on the best approach to AI, moving forward.
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Rajiv Kumar is a former Niti Ayog officer who has held a host of important positions over the years. He is now a professor at the Centre for Applied Economics at the University of Delhi, an adjunct professor at the Lee Kuan Ty Institute of Science and Technology, and a distinguished visiting professor at St. Stephen’s College, Delhi University. He has been an active public figure in matters such as developing India’s Digital Economy and creating “Smart Cities”.
Sridhar Vembu is the CEO and co-founder of Zoho Corporation, one of the largest software conglomerates in India. Throughout his career, he has made significant contributions in making India a digital powerhouse, even through thick and thin. He is a firm believer in the importance of using technology responsibly and ethically, and shares the views of the open letter.
Overall, the open letter serves as an appeal to focus on the benefits of AI, while also keeping in mind the risks and potential consequences of it. It is also a reminder to society that a thoughtful and informed conversation should be had to ensure that the technology is used responsibly and ethically.
