UK Expert Warns World May Lack Time to Prepare for AI Safety Risks
Will advanced AI pose an unprecedented threat to human wellbeing, or create prosperity like past tech revolutions?
Above: A photo illustration of an Apple iPhone screen displaying AI apps. Image credit: alexsl/Getty Images
The Spin
Techno-skeptic narrative
There is a possibility that advanced AI systems could outcompete people across all critical domains within the next five years. Yet, society is sleepwalking into this transition without any adequate safety measures. Governments must wake up to the danger, as well as the reality that the AI systems in which they have placed their faith are not as reliable as they hoped.
Techno-optimist narrative
The coming AI revolution will bring with it unimagined prosperity, just like its historical counterparts, but only if the government stays out of the way. If society, at the behest of public outcry and fear, decides instead to restrict the growth of AI through regulation, not only will this delay the inevitable, but it will also make the world and its people poorer.