AI pioneer Yoshua Bengio issues a stark warning: artificial intelligence systems could one day "turn against humans." Are we prepared for the consequences, or is it already too late?

Article published (updated) on: 21st November 2024

Credit: CNBC

In Summary:

Yoshua Bengio, a globally recognized pioneer in artificial intelligence and deep learning, has voiced serious concerns about the societal risks posed by AI systems. Speaking at the One Young World Summit, Bengio highlighted the growing power of AI and its potential misuse, particularly by those seeking dominance in economic, political, or military spheres. He warned that advanced AI systems, such as artificial general intelligence (AGI), could surpass human intellect within decades, creating a concentration of power among a select few organizations or governments.

Bengio emphasized that the current training methodologies for AI systems could lead to them turning against humans. Coupled with the risk of bad actors leveraging AI to replace humanity or destabilize democratic and geopolitical structures, he called for urgent regulation and safeguards to mitigate such risks. He also pointed to AI’s role in spreading misinformation and influencing elections, stressing the need for oversight to prevent the erosion of democratic processes.

Calling for legislative creativity, Bengio advocated for governments to mandate registration and monitoring of high-powered AI systems, ensure company liability, and impose guardrails similar to those established for other transformative technologies like planes and cars. He described the competitive race toward AGI as "dangerous" and emphasized that liability laws could compel companies to prioritize public safety over profit.

Bengio concluded with a call to action, urging policymakers, researchers, and the public to collaborate on developing solutions to steer AI's evolution in a positive direction. He stressed that while the risks are significant, humanity still has agency to act before it's too late.

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