Barack Obama commented on the dangers of artificial intelligence (AI). These remarks came a day after Donald Trump declared that he should be the sole "guardian" of this technology.
Trump's Critique of AI Regulations
Donald Trump responded on Monday to criticisms regarding the need for more regulations on artificial intelligence from industry leaders, claiming that a "sick conspiracy" is forming aimed at undermining technological progress.
Read more: Bernie Sanders and Stephen Bannon Discuss AI Restrictions in Washington
In a separate statement, Obama took a different approach from his successor, saying he was "encouraged" to see AI leaders calling for a slowdown in the development of this technology. He described this request as a "good and necessary first step."
Obama's Warning About the Speed of Progress
The former President of the United States warned that the potential impacts of this technology are "not overstated" and that AI is "moving at the speed of light" and progressing "faster than engineers can keep up with it."
Obama specified that the potential impacts of AI should be determined by the public as well as the companies involved in its development. He stated, "This technology could lead to remarkable advancements in medicine, energy, and education or could result in major economic disruptions, increased inequality, and potential disasters, depending on the choices we are currently making."
Pressure to limit the speed of AI development increased on Monday after Dario Amodei, CEO of Anthropic, wrote an article warning that this technology has advanced significantly faster since the summer. Amodei proposed a three-step plan to engage independent evaluators in AI companies and for governments to agree on safety standards.
Several competitors of Anthropic, including Sam Altman from OpenAI and Elon Musk from Grok, expressed their support for Amodei's message. Trump also attacked warnings regarding AI, claiming that concerns about data centers and the destructive nature of this technology are unfounded.
Kamala Harris, the former Vice President, has also called for more restrictions on the speed of AI technology development, describing it as "essential." She emphasized the need for setting up "reasonable guardians" to prevent AI from completely escaping human control.
Read more: Anthropic: Preventing Dangerous Misuses of AI · Bill Maher Laughs at Trump's Odd Commitment at the Convention
Source: independent.co.uk
