OpenAI CEO fears social misalignments will make AI go horribly wrong

Sam Altman isn't calm about the technology he works with every day. The CEO of OpenAI stated this Tuesday, 13, that the dangers that keep him up at night in relation to artificial intelligence (AI) are the “very subtle social misalignments” that can cause systems to wreak havoc.

Speaking at the World Government Summit in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, via video call, Altman reiterated his call for a body like the International Atomic Energy Agency to be created to oversee AI, which is likely advancing faster than ever before. that the world awaits.

“There are some things there that are easy to imagine that could really go wrong. And I'm not very interested in the killer robots that roam the streets and that can go wrong,” Altman said. “I'm much more interested in the very subtle social misalignments where we have these systems in society and, without any specific ill intent, things go horribly wrong.”

However, Altman emphasized that the AI ​​industry, like OpenAI, should not be in charge when it comes to creating regulations that govern the industry.

“We are still at a stage of much discussion. Everyone in the world is holding a conference. Everyone has an idea, a policy document, and that’s fine,” Altman said. “I think we are still at a time where debate is necessary and healthy, but at some point in the next few years I think we have to move towards an action plan with real buy-in across the world.”

OpenAI's success has made Altman the public face of the rapid commercialization of generative AI — and fears about what might come with the new technology.

The United Arab Emirates, an autocratic federation of seven hereditarily ruled sheikhdoms, shows signs of this risk. Speech continues to be tightly controlled. These restrictions affect the flow of accurate information – the same details that AI programs like ChatGPT rely on like machine learning systems to deliver their answers to users.

The UAE also relies on the Abu Dhabi company G42, overseen by the country's powerful national security adviser. G42 has what experts suggest is the world's leading Arabic-language artificial intelligence model. The company has faced espionage allegations for its links to a cell phone app identified as spyware. She also faced allegations that she may have secretly collected genetic material from Americans for the Chinese government.

G42 said it would cut ties with Chinese suppliers due to American concerns. However, the discussion with Altman, moderated by UAE Minister of State for Artificial Intelligence Omar al-Olama, did not address any of the local concerns.

For his part, Altman said he was encouraged to see that schools, where teachers feared students would use AI to write papers, are now embracing the technology as crucial to the future. But he added that AI is still in its infancy.

“I think the reason is that the current technology we have is like the first cell phone with a black and white screen,” Altman said. “So let’s take a break. But I would say I think in a few years it will be much better than it is now. And, in a decade, it should be quite remarkable.”Source: Associated Press.