Max Tegmark, a leading scientist and AI campaigner, has warned that big tech companies have successfully diverted the world’s attention away from the existential risk that artificial intelligence still poses to humanity. Speaking at the AI Summit in Seoul, South Korea, Tegmark expressed concern that the shift in focus from the potential extinction of life to a broader conception of the safety of artificial intelligence could lead to an unacceptable delay in imposing strict regulations on the creators of the most powerful programs.
Tegmark’s warning comes at a time when big tech companies are under scrutiny for their AI technologies. For instance, Google’s AI Overview feature has been criticized for generating incorrect or nonsensical responses, while Microsoft’s Copilot has been accused of potential copyright infringement.
Despite these criticisms, big tech companies continue to push the boundaries of AI technology. However, Tegmark argues that this progress should not distract us from the potential risks associated with AI. He calls for stricter regulations on AI technologies to ensure their safe and responsible use.
This call for regulation is not without precedent. The European Union, for example, has recently endorsed a proposed AI law that imposes burdensome requirements on models trained with more than 10 to the power of 25 “flops”, a measure of computing power. This law is seen as a milestone in regulating AI technology.
Read more: www.theguardian.com