Because AI would expose humans to something “that is going to be far more intelligent than us,” billionaire claims that AI posed a “existential risk.”
Elon Musk warned at the first-ever global summit on AI safety that AI could mean the end of humanity.
As the first time in human history that something more intelligent than humans will be facing humans, the billionaire expressed his belief that the technology presents a “existential risk.”
At the event at Bletchley Park on Wednesday, where British codebreakers, including Alan Turing, used early computer intelligence to crack the Nazis’ Enigma code during World War II, he issued the dire warning.
The Bletchley Declaration on AI Safety, a world first, was agreed upon by the delegates and forewarned of “particular safety risks” at the frontier of general-purpose AI, or AI that can perform a wide range of tasks.
There are 27 government delegates attending the summit in total, including representatives from the US, India, UAE, Canada, China, France, and Germany. In a different speech, US Vice President Kamala Harris warned that AI could have both “profound good” and “profound harm” and urged its use “in service of the public interest” in London.
“AI poses a significant threat to humankind,” stated Elon Musk at the summit hosted by UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak.
For the first time, we are in a position where we have something that will be far more intelligent than the most intelligent human.
“We are more intelligent than other creatures, but we are neither faster nor stronger than them. This is the first time in human history that we have encountered something that will be far smarter than us.
“But I do think it’s one of the existential risks that we face and it is potentially the most pressing one if you look at the timescale and rate of advancement – the summit is timely and I applaud the Prime Minister for holding it.”
According to Mr. Musk, the two-day summit should help create a “international consensus” on AI knowledge, which would allow for the establishment of a “third-party referee” in the industry “who can observe what leading AI companies are doing and at least sound the alarm if they have concerns.”
In a video message that opened the two-day summit, King Charles expressed concerns about artificial intelligence (AI), saying that while it presents opportunities, there are also “significant risks” that need to be addressed.
Before departing for his official visit to Kenya, the king was captured on camera declaring: “We are witnessing one of the greatest technological leaps in the history of human endeavor.”
“The rapid rise of powerful artificial intelligence is considered by many of the greatest thinkers of our age to be no less significant, no less important, than the discovery of electricity, the splitting of the atom, the creation of the worldwide web, or even the harnessing of fire.”
“However, if we are to realise the untold benefits of AI, then we must work together on combating its significant risks too.”
In his thank you speech, King Charles acknowledged the people gathered for helping to establish a consensus that will guarantee that “this immensely powerful technology is, indeed, a force for good in this world”.
Transitions like artificial intelligence (AI), according to him, always provide “profound challenges, especially in preparing for unintended consequences”.
Michelle Donelan, the UK’s secretary of state for science, innovation, and technology, had earlier predicted that the summit would usher in a new era of artificial intelligence.