Growing Concerns from AI Experts and Industry
UK Establishes Research Institute in US Silicon Valley
AI Risk Countermeasures Discussed Between US and China
"Over the past century, automobiles have developed remarkably quickly, and there has been ample time to introduce various safety standards. However, considering the speed of the upcoming wave of change, the likelihood of this happening seems slim."
Mustafa Suleyman, co-founder of Google DeepMind, stated this in his book
Geoffrey Hinton, a professor at the University of Toronto known as the "Godfather of AI," recently warned in an interview with the BBC that AI could pose an extinction-level threat. He stated that AI might develop independent thinking systems within a few years, threatening humans and attempting to dominate society. He particularly criticized the fact that while governments around the world have shown no willingness to regulate the military use of AI, big tech companies have accelerated their competition to develop AI products.
Amid AI experts unanimously emphasizing the need for safety assurance, the "AI Seoul Summit" is being held over two days starting today (21st) in Seoul, the capital of the Republic of Korea. This event brings together major governments, corporations, academia, and civil society to establish a consistent global strategy for AI governance. Park Sang-wook, the Chief of Science and Technology at the Presidential Office, said in a briefing yesterday, "Since the emergence of generative AI like ChatGPT, AI risks have come to the forefront," adding, "There is a need to address the side effects and misuse of AI." He further emphasized, "Last year's summit held in the UK focused on AI safety, and this time, we plan to present the three principles of AI governance?safety, innovation, and inclusion?to the international community."
Before this summit, co-hosted by the UK and South Korean governments following the inaugural meeting last year, the UK published an interim report of the "International Scientific Report on Advanced AI Safety." The report includes points such as: △ Like all powerful technologies, Artificial General Intelligence (AGI) can be used to cause harm △ Future development of AGI may lead to systemic risks such as labor market disruption and economic power inequality △ The future of AI is uncertain with various possible scenarios, and decisions by society and governments will have a significant impact on the future. The final report is scheduled to be released ahead of the "AI Action Summit" to be held in France early next year. Recently, the UK opened the first overseas office of its AI safety research institute in Silicon Valley, USA, and is pursuing cooperation with the US.
The United States and China, despite ongoing trade conflicts, are also communicating closely when it comes to addressing AI risks. According to foreign media reports, senior delegations from the US and China recently held a closed-door meeting in Geneva, Switzerland, initiating discussions on the military use of AI and related issues. The White House described the meeting as "an opportunity for both governments to exchange views on how to understand and address the risks of advanced AI systems." The Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs also stated that the two countries will address the technical risks of AI and global governance issues.
© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.
