Artificial intelligence (AI) has the potential to revolutionize the way humans work and learn, but it also poses an existential threat to humanity. That’s according to Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI, who spoke in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) this week. Altman suggested that global governance of AI, similar to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), is necessary to manage the technology’s risks without stifling its benefits.
Altman is currently on a worldwide tour discussing AI and its potential for both good and bad. OpenAI’s chatbot, ChatGPT, has sparked global conversation about AI’s capabilities. However, hundreds of industry leaders, including Altman, have warned of AI’s potential risk of causing human extinction. They have called for it to be managed like other societal-scale risks.
To address AI’s risks, Altman pointed to the IAEA as a model for the formation of a similar global body that could oversee AI development. However, he also acknowledged specific challenges that AI and its regulation could present in places like the UAE, where speech is tightly controlled.
EU lawmakers are pursuing an AI Law that could become the global standard for AI regulation. Meanwhile, Altman has already urged the US Congress to intervene in governing AI risks. Ultimately, effective global oversight of AI is crucial to unlocking its full potential without putting human lives at risk.
