Over a thousand industry experts, including prominent figures like Elon Musk and Steve Wozniak, have called for a six-month suspension of work on improving the GPT-4 language model, urging for more regulation and transparency in the development of artificial intelligence (AI). An open letter signed by numerous prominent scientists and business representatives was sent to the company.
Experts raise concerns about unchecked AI development
The experts argue that AI systems with intelligence comparable to humans can pose serious risks to society, as demonstrated by extensive research and acknowledged by leading AI laboratories. They point out that AI labs are in an uncontrollable race to develop and deploy ever-more-powerful digital minds that no one, not even their creators, can predict or reliably control.
As AI systems become more competitive with humans for common tasks, experts are urging greater scrutiny and regulation of AI development. They question whether we should allow machines to flood our information channels with propaganda and untruths, automate all jobs or develop non-human mind that may eventually outnumber us.
Call for a pause in AI development
The experts are calling for all AI labs to immediately pause for at least six months in training AI systems more powerful than GPT-4. This pause should be publicly available and verifiable and involve all key participants. If such a pause cannot be imposed quickly, governments should step in and impose a moratorium.
During this pause, AI labs and independent experts should collaboratively develop and implement a set of common security protocols for advanced AI design and development that are scrutinized and monitored by independent outside experts. These protocols should ensure that systems adhering to them are safe. The experts emphasize that this does not mean a pause in AI development in general, but simply a step back from a dangerous race to ever larger unpredictable black-box models with emerging possibilities.
AI development must prioritize safety and accountability
AI research and development must be refocused on making today’s powerful modern systems more accurate, secure, interpretable, transparent, reliable, consistent, trustworthy and loyal. AI developers must work with policies to greatly accelerate the development of reliable AI management systems.
The experts cause that society has paused other technologies with potentially disastrous consequences for society, and we should do the same for AI.
