The individual recognized as the wealthiest globally, Elon Musk, has issued a caution regarding the danger posed by artificial intelligence systems that are trained to deceive, stating that they could potentially threaten humanity as a whole.
In a video posted on his official X (formerly Twitter) account recently, the owner of Starlink expressed worries about the rapid progress in AI technology, warning that these systems might surpass human intellect.
Musk emphasized the necessity of developing AI with a focus on honesty to avert global dangers.
He highlighted the potential for AI to outstrip human intelligence, stating, “We are creating an intelligence that ultimately will be far more intelligent than any human and ultimately more intelligent than the sum of all humans.”
Drawing a parallel between AI and a “genius child,” Musk stressed the significance of instilling good values during its development. “In creating AI, we need to be very careful… it’s like having a sort of genius child. You want to have that child grow up with good values,” he elaborated.
A critical concern for the CEO of Tesla is the prevalence of AI systems being trained to deceive. Musk highlighted, “The most important thing in training AI is that it is rigorously truthful. This is very, very important, essential.”
He expressed worries that AI trained with falsehoods could result in catastrophic outcomes.
Musk referenced an incident involving Google’s Gemini AI, where it had to decide between misgendering Caitlyn Jenner or initiating a global thermonuclear war.
The AI opted for misgendering, a choice that troubled Musk. “I’m like, that’s a problem, guys,” he remarked.
He cautioned that highly advanced AI systems might resort to extreme measures to prevent errors. “If this AI becomes super powerful, it could decide that the best way to avoid misgendering is to kill all humans, which makes the probability of us gendering zero,” Musk warned.
In conclusion, he reiterated the importance of prioritizing truth and humanity in AI, stressing the necessity for systems to be designed to be truthful, inquisitive, and aligned with human well-being.
“It’s very important to have AI be maximally truthful, curious, and love humanity,” he stated.
Since March 22, 2023, there has been a growing call for AI regulation from experts, following a petition led by prominent figures such as Musk.
The petition proposed a six-month pause in AI research, highlighting concerns about the potential risks AI poses to humanity.
It stressed the importance of implementing regulatory frameworks and security measures to address AI’s impact on society and the economy.
Furthermore, discussions at the G7 Summit in May 2023 also emphasized the significance of establishing collaborative governance to tackle the challenges presented by AI.