Google’s former CEO Eric Schmidt has warned the innovation of artificial intelligence is happening at a rapid pace, and the proper safeguards are not yet in place. Schmidt cautions that we may eventually have to consider “unplugging it all” if AI systems continue to evolve unchecked.
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“We’re soon going to be able to have computers running on their own, deciding what they want to do,” Schmidt told ABC’s George Stephanopoulos. “And the way that happens is a series of decisions. We go from agents to then more powerful goals and eventually you say to your computer ‘learn everything and do everything,’ and that’s a dangerous point. When the system can self-improve, we need to seriously think about unplugging it.”
Schmidt also shared his concerns with Axios last year. Back then, he stated that computers making their own decisions could be just two to four years away.
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He emphasized the need for guardrails to protect human dignity, especially as the sophistication of AI systems grows and their potential impact remains unknown.
“Because the systems move so quickly,” Schmidt said, “look at what social media has done in terms of the overall zeitgeist in our country and around the world, and now imagine a much more intelligent, much stronger way of sending messages and inventing things, the rate of innovation, drug discovery and all of that, plus also to bad things like weapons and cyberattacks and things like that, it’s happening very, very fast.”
Schmidt warned China is rapidly catching up in the AI race, describing its progress as “remarkable.” He stressed the need for the United States to secure its leadership in the global AI competition. Schmidt called for more funding, hardware and personnel.
Schmidt recommended that tech companies take proactive measures to safeguard AI systems.
“Humans will not be able to police AI, but AI systems should be able to police AI,” he said.
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Despite these concerns, Schmidt noted that governments aren’t doing enough to regulate AI as of now. However, he believes governments will eventually be forced to take action.
Tags: ABC, abc news, Artificial Intelligence, China, Disney, Google, Microchip Technology, Tech, Technology
[Lauren]
GOOGLE’S FORMER CEO ERIC SCHMIDT WARNS THE INNOVATION OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE IS HAPPENING AT A RAPID PACE AND WE DON’T YET HAVE THE PROPER SAFEGUARDS IN PLACE, AND WE MAY HAVE TO THINK ABOUT UNPLUGGING IT ALL.
“WE’RE SOON GONNA BE ABLE TO HAVE COMPUTERS RUNNING ON THEIR OWN, DECIDING WHAT THEY WANT TO DO,” HE TOLD ABC’S GEORGE STEPHANOLPOLOUS. “AND THE WAY THAT HAPPENS IS A SERIES OF DECISIONS. WE GO FROM AGENTS TO THEN MORE POWERFUL GOALS AND EVENTUALLY YOU SAY TO YOUR COMPUTER ‘LEARN EVERYTHING AND DO EVERYTHING’ AND THAT A DANGEROUS POINT. WHEN THE SYSTEM CAN SELF IMPROVE, WE NEED TO SERIOUSLY THINK ABOUT UNPLUGGING IT.”
SCHMIDT TOLD AXIOS LAST YEAR THAT COMPUTERS MAKING THEIR OWN DECISIONS WAS ONLY TWO TO FOUR YEARS AWAY. HE SAYS THE SYSTEMS NEED GUARDS TO PROTECT HUMAN DIGNITY AS WE DON’T KNOW WHAT IT WILL MEAN IF EVERYONE HAS THE MOST SOPHISTICATED TECHNOLOGY AVAILABLE AT THEIR FINGERTIPS.
“BECAUSE THE SYSTEMS MOVE SO QUICKLY,” SCHMIDT SAID. “LOOK AT WHAT SOCIAL MEDIA HAS DONE IN TERMS OF THE OVERALL ZEITGEIST IN OUR COUNTRY AND AROUND THE WORLD AND NOW IMAGINE A MUCH MORE INTELLIGENT, MUCH MORE STRONGER WAY OF SENDING MESSAGES AND INVENTING THINGS, THE RATE OF INNOVATION, DRUG DISCOVERY AND ALL OF THAT, PLUS ALSO TO BAD THINGS LIKE WEAPONS AND CYBER ATTACKS AND THINGS LIKE THAT, IT’S HAPPENING VERY, VERY FAST.”
AND HE SAYS IT’S HAPPENING SO FAST THAT CHINA IS CATCHING UP IN A WAY THAT IS “REMARKABLE” AND THAT THE UNITED STATES NEEDS TO WIN THE GLOBAL RACE, EMPHASIZING THE NEED FOR MORE FUNDING, HARDWARE AND PERSONNEL. SCHMIDT RECOMMENDS TECH COMPANIES IDENTIFY THE WORST POSSIBLE CASES AND BUILD A SECOND A-I SYSTEM TO WATCH THE FIRST. “HUMANS WILL NOT BE ABLE TO POLICE AI BUT AI SYSTEMS SHOULD BE ABLE TO POLICE AI,” HE SAID.”
SCHMIDT SAYS AS OF RIGHT NOW, GOVERNMENTS ARE NOT DOING WHAT’S NECESSARY TO REGULATE AI BUT EVENTUALLY THEY’LL BE FORCED TO.
THE U.S. GOVERNMENT IS TAKING SEVERAL STEPS TO REGULATE AI, THOUGH COMPREHENSIVE LEGISLATION IS STILL EVOLVING.
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