The debate on the risks and possibilities of the great artificial intelligence models is adding new opinions on a daily basis, both from experts and from the main political leaders worldwide. In the last hours, for example, it was his turn to Joe BidenPresident of the United States.
The US president met with the White House Council of Advisors on Science and Technology, with the aim of catching up on such a hot topic. Asked by the press about whether he believed that AI could be dangerous, he said: “It remains to be seen. But it could be”.
Joe Biden’s words add to a very broad discussion about what the development of artificial intelligence models implies, considering their rapid evolution and the impact they have globally. In this regard, the US president remarked that companies such as OpenAI They must assume the commitment to offer safe products to their users.
“AI can help tackle some very difficult challenges, like disease and climate change, but we must also address the potential risks to our society, our economy, and our national security. […] Tech companies have a responsibility, in my opinion, to make sure their products are secure before they go public,” Joe Biden said.
For Joe Biden, AI could be dangerous, though ‘remains to be seen’
Joe Biden’s comments on artificial intelligence go beyond a simple opinion on a debate that already involves figures like Elon Musk, Sam Altman or Bill Gates. In fact, the President of the United States mentioned the need to establish the necessary legislation so that AI systems incorporate security measures from the beginningand not that they are added on the fly.
In this way, the North American leader drew a parallel with what happens with social networks. “Social media has already shown us the damage powerful technologies can cause without proper security measures. In the absence of safeguards, we see the impact on mental health, self-image, feelings and hopelessness, especially among young people” , indicated.
Beyond what Joe Biden has said, there is still no definitive position from the White House on the development of language models like GPT-4 or products like ChatGPT. But it is clear that in Washington they do not remain indifferent while the main referents of the technological sector discuss the effects of AI in daily life and the future.
An increasingly prominent discussion
Let’s remember that a group of more than 1,000 experts, led by Elon Musk, launched an open letter asking that the development of artificial intelligence models more powerful than GPT-4 is halted. A measure that, they estimate, should be sustained for at least six months. However, this position has already earned some voices against it, such as that of Bill Gates. The Microsoft co-founder believes that a pause like the one being requested is unfeasible to apply globally.
And as if to spice up the situation a little more, in the last few hours some statements by Sam Altman, the CEO of OpenAI, resurfaced, who in 2019 assured that the potential of artificial intelligence models was equivalent to that of a nuclear bomb. Will it really be like that? Joe Biden and his White House advisers are probably already taking note of such a comparison..