Artificial Intelligence has raised many questions and potential risks, especially with the recent release of ChatGPT and its iterations. ChatGPT is a model of Artificial Intelligence that is trained on massive amounts of data and can simulate human-like conversations. This and other models could cause harm if not properly regulated with proper, international standards. The threat of such new technology was high on the agenda during a two-day Group of Seven Digital and Tech Ministers’ Meeting in Japan recently, in order to address the urgent need for responsible use of AI.
The Future of Life Institute released an open letter in March to bring our attention to the potential risks associated with ChatGPT and similar models of advanced AI. The letter called for a six-month pause in the training of AI systems more powerful than GPT-4, prompting the signatures of notable figures such as Elon Musk and Steve Wozniak. The letter mentions dangers such as perpetuating biases, misinformation, and displacement in labor markets.
Prominent innovator Elon Musk gave a recent interview on Fox News in which he warned us of the potential of civilization destruction due to hyper-intelligent AI, and the risk of it being too late to regulate when something terrible occurs. Katja Grace, co-founder and lead researcher of AI Impacts, conducted a study that estimates a 19 percent chance of extinction upon humanity’s failure to control AI.
OpenAI developer of ChatGPT, released a more powerful version of the model; GPT-4, with multimodal capabilities and a huge leap from previous language models. This created opportunities, however, accurate information has also been an issue as hallucinations remain a challenge within these models making them impossible to rely on for critical applications.
Satoshi Kurihara, chairman of the Ethics Committee of the Japanese Society for Artificial Intelligence, is hopeful and believes coexisting with the AI is possible and can help us avoid destruction. He stresses the importance of adhering to guidelines and controlling the scope and transparency of AI use. The G-7 also acknowledged this need and committed to promoting responsible use of AI while continuing to discuss how to govern the rapidly advancing technology.
Along with the potential destruction, concerns also revolve around misuse and unauthorized data collection, manipulating public opinion and using AI for deepfakes and revenge pornography. Charlie Pownall, founder of AIAAIC, explains that due to different attitudes towards technology, it is difficult to regulate proportionately without compromising privacy, confidentiality and other rights.
OpenAI is a company founded in San Francisco with a mission to ensure that Artificial Intelligence benefits all of humanity. It was co-founded by Elon Musk, Sam Altman, Greg Brockman, Isaac Schlueter and Wojciech Zaremba. Additionally, Steve Wozniak is the co-founder of Apple Inc. In conclusion, it is clear that we will need to work together internationally to ensure proper governance of AI systems that may well determine the future of mankind.
