Dozens of AI industry leaders, academics, and notable figures, including celebrities, have joined the call for reducing the risk of global annihilation due to artificial intelligence. In a brief statement published by the Center for AI Safety, they emphasize that the threat of an AI extinction event should be considered a top priority on a global scale, alongside other major risks such as pandemics and nuclear war.
Among the signatories are prominent industry officials, including OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, Geoffrey Hinton, recognized as the “godfather” of AI, top executives and researchers from Google DeepMind and Anthropic, Microsoft’s Chief Technology Officer Kevin Scott, internet security and cryptography pioneer Bruce Schneier, climate advocate Bill McKibben, and musician Grimes, among others.
The statement reflects widespread concerns about the potential dangers of uncontrolled artificial intelligence. While experts acknowledge that society is still far from developing true artificial general intelligence, the significant hype and investment in the AI industry have raised calls for regulatory measures before any major mishaps occur.
This announcement comes in the wake of the viral success of OpenAI’s ChatGPT, which has fueled an AI arms race in the technology industry. As a result, an increasing number of lawmakers, advocacy groups, and technology insiders have raised alarms about the potential spread of misinformation and job displacement caused by AI-powered chatbots.
Geoffrey Hinton, who played a pivotal role in shaping today’s AI systems, expressed his concerns about AI surpassing human intelligence and decided to leave his position at Google, intending to raise awareness about the issue.
Dan Hendrycks, the director of the Center for AI Safety, emphasized that the statement does not undermine society’s need to address other types of AI risks, such as algorithmic bias or misinformation. He compared the situation to atomic scientists issuing warnings about the very technologies they had created, stressing the importance of managing multiple risks simultaneously.
From a risk management perspective, it is vital to acknowledge and address both present and potential harms, as neglecting any of them would be reckless. The statement serves as a reminder to prioritize the long-term safety implications of AI while working towards mitigating immediate risks.
