AI experts warn of ‘risk of extinction’ similar to nuclear weapons
Over 350 prominent figures in the field of artificial intelligence have warned that the technology poses a risk of extinction, according to a joint statement released by the nonprofit Center for AI Safety. The experts, including OpenAI boss Sam Altman and “Godfather of AI” Geoffrey Hinton, warned that AI posed an existential threat that should be treated as a global priority alongside other pandemics and nuclear war. The statement follows warnings about AI’s potential to cause chaos in society, with possible risks including misinformation, economic upheaval, and even attacks on humanity. The Center for AI Safety said the statement was intended to “open up discussion” about AI’s risks. Notable signatories included Google DeepMind CEO Demis Hassabis and Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei.
FAQs
What is the Center for AI Safety?
The Center for AI Safety is a nonprofit organization that seeks to address the risks posed by artificial intelligence.
Who signed the joint statement on AI risk?
Over 350 prominent figures in the field of AI, including Sam Altman and Geoffrey Hinton, signed the joint statement on AI risk.
What are the risks of AI?
The potential risks of AI include the spread of misinformation, major economic upheaval through job losses, outright attacks on humanity, and even a risk to human existence.
Why is AI considered an existential threat?
AI is considered an existential threat because it has the potential to cause chaos in society and put human life at risk.
What did the joint statement call for?
The joint statement called for mitigating the risk of extinction from AI and treating it as a global priority alongside other societal-scale risks such as pandemics and nuclear war.
AI Experts Caution Against ‘Extermination Risk’ Similar to That of Nuclear Weapons
Over 350 top artificial intelligence (AI) experts and executives, including OpenAI’s Sam Altman and Geoffrey Hinton, who is known as the “Godfather of AI,” have warned that the technology presents a risk of extinction, in a joint statement released on Tuesday. The experts see AI as an existential threat and believe that mitigating this risk should be a global priority, alongside pandemics and nuclear war. The statement, organised by the nonprofit Center for AI Safety, is the latest in a series of warnings about the potential for AI to cause chaos in society, with potential risks including misinformation, job losses, or even outright attacks on humanity. The Center for AI Safety said that the brief statement was intended to “open up discussion” about the topic given the “broad spectrum of important and urgent risks from AI.”