Former Google CEO Eric Schmidt claims that artificial intelligence (AI) could pose ‘existential risks’ to humanity and that governments need to take action to regulate the technology.
The voices about the advancement of Artificial Intelligence continue to appear, and now they come from one of the historical pillars of Google . Eric Schmidt, the company’s former CEO, expressed his concern about the potential for AI to harm or kill people; and he compared the spread of AI to the rise of nuclear technology , saying that it would be extremely difficult to control. Schmidt also warned that the AI could be used to develop new weapons or carry out cyber attacks.
“My concern with AI is actually existential, and existential risk is defined as many, many, many, many people being harmed or killed. And there are scenarios not at present, but reasonably soon, where these systems may encounter vulnerabilities. zero-day, cyber problems or discovering new kinds of biology,” Schmidt told the Wall Street Journal CEO Council conference in London.
Schmidt’s comments come at a time when there is growing concern about the potential dangers of AI. In recent years, there have been several high-profile AI-related incidents, such as the case of an autonomous car killing a pedestrian . These incidents have raised questions about whether AI is safe and being developed responsibly.
“I think we need to be very careful how we develop artificial intelligence,” Schmidt said. “We have to make sure that it is used for good and not for evil.”
Need for an international framework
Schmidt’s call to regulate AI is supported by several experts. In a recent report, the US National Academy of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine advocated for the development of international standards for the development and use of AI. The report also called for the creation of a new government agency tasked with overseeing AI research and development.
“We need to have some kind of international framework for the development of artificial intelligence,” Schmidt said. “To make sure that it is developed in a safe and responsible way.”
The debate over the dangers of AI will likely continue for years to come. However, Schmidt’s comments are a reminder that AI is a powerful technology that could be used for good or ill. It is important to be aware of the potential dangers of AI and work to ensure that it is developed and used responsibly.