For many tech billionaires and experts, AI is the new nuclear arms race. Companies working on AI and ML applications are developing AI models very recklessly, without any concern about ethics in AI, which could potentially end human civilisation.
For many tech billionaires and experts, AI is the new nuclear arms race. Companies working on AI and ML applications are developing AI models very recklessly, without any concern about ethics in AI, which could potentially end human civilisation.
A tech billionaire has compared the insipid race to master artificial intelligence and turn it into something profitable, without any regard to the potential harm that it poses to the nuclear arms race of the twenty-first century.
Kevin Baragona was one of over 1,000 tech experts who signed an open statement on The Future of Life Institute, urging a halt to the “dangerous race” to create ChatGPT-like AI that other tech companies are getting involved in without any regard for the consequences that such chatbots might have, if they are not developed with the proper caution. The groups said more risk assessment needs to be conducted before humans lose control and it becomes a sentient human-hating species.
Tech experts warn against developing AI rapidly, without caution
In a recent interview, Baragona said that “AI superintelligence is like the nuclear weapons of software,” referring to the 1940s creation of the atomic bomb.
“Many individuals have debated whether we should continue developing them,” he added.
Americans were grappling with a similar concept while creating the weapon of mass destruction, which was called ‘nuclear anxiety’ at the time.
“It’s almost like a war between chimps and humans,” Baragona said. “Obviously, humans prevail because we are far smarter and can defeat them with more sophisticated technology,” he added.
“If we’re like the chimpanzees, AI will either kill us or subjugate us,” he added
The concerns stem from the extraordinary rise of ChatGPT, which has taken the world by storm in recent months, passing major medical and legal examinations that humans study for nearly three months.
AI divides Silicon Valley
Generative and natural language processing AIs like ChatGPT have ignited a civil war in the Silicon Valley. Tech Mogul Elon Musk and Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak also endorsed the open letter asking for the development of AI to be halted, but Bill Gates and Google CEO Sundar Pichai have supported the development, and are optimistic about the tech.
When AI begins to outperform humans in all areas and develops a conscience, it has achieved singularity, which means it has transcended human intellect and has autonomous thought. AI would no longer require or respond to humans, enabling it to pilfer nuclear codes, cause pandemics, and ignite world conflicts. This is what people like Musk and Wozniak believe.
Sundar and Gates are on the other side of the divide. They are praising ChatGPT-like AI as the most essential’ invention of our time, claiming it will fix climate change, heal cancer, and boost output.
In February, Microsoft also introduced AI to its Bing search engine, integrating ChatGPT capabilities. On March 21, Google released Bard, a natural language robot, to the world. The Cupertino-based tech giant has been careful in its release so that its technology does not produce inaccurate facts, but Bard’s first impressions indicated that the company rushed it to market. It remains to be seen how Bard compares to OpenAI’s ChatGPT and Microsoft’s AI-powered Bing.
Both camps have their own agendas
“While I can only conjecture as to why Gates and Sundar did not sign the letter to halt advanced AI research, I believe they did not because they are signing checks to accelerate AI’s development,” Baragona said.
While it is difficult to take Musk’s scepticism of the development of AI seriously, considering that he has assembled a team to replicate ChatGPT and take it down and that he reportedly was very jealous of ChatGPT’s popularity when it launched, what is surprising is the caution with which people like Wozniak are looking at AI.
Microsoft, established by Bill Gates, has made significant investments in OpenAI, the developer of ChatGPT and invested about $10 billion in the development of ChatGPT in order to compete with Google in commercialising new AI advances.
In a statement, Scott Opitz, chief technology officer at intelligent automation firm ABBYY, said, “Pausing AI development is like putting toothpaste back in the tube.” AI applications are ubiquitous, affecting almost every aspect of our existence.
“While commendable, putting the breaks on now by taking a voluntary halt may be implausible. What is required is a concerted and sincere effort by businesses and lawmakers to enact common-sense laws that promote ethical AI principles based on human-centred ideals of fairness, transparency, and responsibility,” he said.
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