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Brad Smith, president of major tech company Microsoft, urged governments to “move faster” and corporations to “step up” amid a significant acceleration in the development of artificial intelligence.
Speaking at a May 25 panel before US lawmakers in Washington, D.C., Smith made the call proposing rules that could mitigate the potential risks of AI, according to a report in The New York Times.
The company urged companies to put in place “safety brakes” for AI systems that monitor critical infrastructure, and to develop a broader regulatory framework for AI, among other things.
AI may be the most consequential technology advance of our lifetime. Today we announced a 5-point blueprint for Governing AI. It addresses current and emerging issues, brings the public and private sector together, and ensures this tool serves all society. https://t.co/zYektkQlZy
— Brad Smith (@BradSmi) May 25, 2023
Smith is another heavyweight in the industry who is sounding the alarm about the rapid development of artificial intelligence technologies. The dizzying pace of AI development has already led to a number of harmful developments, including privacy threats, job losses due to automation, and extremely convincing “deep fakes” videos that regularly spread scams and misinformation on social media.
The Microsoft chief said that governments should not bear the brunt of the action and that companies should also work to mitigate the risks of unhindered AI development.
Smith’s comments come despite Microsoft also working on AI, reportedly developing a series of new specialized chips that will help power OpenAI’s viral chatbot, ChatGPT.
However, Smith argued that Microsoft did not attempt to absolve itself of liability as it committed to provide its own AI-related protections whether or not the government forces it, stating:
“There is not one iota of disclaimer.”
On May 16, OpenAI founder and CEO Sam Altman appeared before Congress, where he advocated the creation of a federal oversight agency that would issue licenses to companies working with artificial intelligence.
Senator Lindsey Graham asks the witnesses at the hearing on artificial intelligence regulation if there should be an agency to license and oversee AI tools.
All say yes, but IBM Chief Privacy & Trust Officer Christina Montgomery has stipulations: pic.twitter.com/UD7R8N7s23
— Yahoo Finance (@YahooFinance) May 16, 2023
Notably, Smith supported Altman’s idea of licensing developers, stating that “high-risk” AI services and development should only take place in licensed AI data centers.
Related: Nvidia AI chip cost skyrockets amid AI development boom
Ever since ChatGPT was first launched last November, there have been widespread calls for stricter oversight of AI, with some organizations even suggesting that development of the technology be temporarily put on hold.
On March 22, the Future of Life Institute released an open letter urging industry leaders to “suspend” AI development. It was signed by a number of major technology industry leaders, including Tesla CEO Elon Musk and Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak. At the time of publication, the letter has garnered over 31,000 signatures.
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