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.
“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.
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.
