Sam Altman, the CEO of OpenAI, the maker of ChatGPT, expressed on Tuesday that what concerns him most about artificial intelligence are the "subtle societal misalignments" that could cause chaos.
Sam Altman Expressing Concerns About Potential AI Dangers
Speaking at the World Governments Summit in Dubai via video call, Sam Altman restated his proposal for establishing a regulatory body similar to the International Atomic Energy Agency to supervise AI, which is progressing faster than anticipated globally.
Altman expressed concern about potential AI dangers, focusing less on scenarios like killer robots walking on the streets but more on subtle societal misalignments where "we just have these systems out in society and through no particular ill intention, things just go horribly wrong."
A Push for Creating AI Regulations in the Industry
However, Altman emphasized that the AI industry, including OpenAI, should not lead the way in creating regulations governing the industry.
Altman noted that the AI industry is engaged in extensive discussions worldwide, with conferences and policy papers commonplace. He stressed the importance of ongoing debate but emphasized the need to transition towards an action plan with global support in the coming years.
OpenAI, a San Francisco AI startup, is a key player in the industry. Microsoft has invested billions in OpenAI, and the Associated Press has a deal allowing OpenAI access to its news archive. However, The New York Times has sued both OpenAI and Microsoft for using its stories without permission to train OpenAI's chatbots.
OpenAI's success has made Altman a prominent figure representing the generative AI's swift commercialization, sparking concerns about the potential risk this new technology may bring.
The UAE's G42 Intelligence Risk
The UAE, an autocratic federation of seven hereditary-ruled sheikhdoms, shows signs of such risk, where speech is strictly controlled, affecting the flow of accurate information, which AI programs like ChatGPT rely on to provide user answers.
The Emirates also has G42, a firm in Abu Dhabi overseen by the country's influential national security adviser, which possesses what experts believe to be the world's top Arabic-language artificial intelligence model. The company has been accused of spying due to its association with a mobile app identified as spyware and has also faced allegations of secretly collecting genetic material from Americans for the Chinese government.
G42 stated it would cut connections with Chinese suppliers due to American concerns. However, local concerns were not addressed during the discussion with Altman, moderated by the UAE's Minister of State for Artificial Intelligence, Omar al-Olama.
Seeing AI as a Critical Part of the Future
Altman expressed encouragement at schools' shift from fearing AI use in student papers to seeing it as essential for the future. However, he emphasized that AI is still in its early stages.
Altman likened current AI technology to the first cellphone with a black-and-white screen, suggesting that improvements will come with time. He predicted that AI will be significantly better in a few years, and in a decade, it will be remarkable.
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