When the Creators Start Warning Us

The media is unsettling lately. I’m not saying it’s all true, but it doesn’t make it any less concerning. Especially When the Creators Start Warning Us.

I can’t remember when AI (Artificial intelligence) first arrived. It doesn’t feel too long ago and its rapidly advancing. It can write, create images, analyse information and perform tasks that once required human judgement...

Ask yourself, are you seeking advice from AI on basic tasks?

Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei has argued that the industry should slow development so that safety measures have time to catch up. You can read more here: BBC News Article: Anthropic boss Dario Amodei calls for AI development to slow down

Others argue that slowing down could hinder innovation and that companies already have strong incentives to develop AI safely.

The argument boils down to one thing: competition. Competition for money and power.

No company wants to sit back while another charges forward. No country wants to slow technologically while its rivals accelerate. As a collective, we might agree that something is moving too quickly, while individually feeling the need to keep up.

This isn't a problem unique to AI. Humans have always struggled with the difference between what we can do and what we should do.

The fact that something is possible does not automatically make it good.

It seems slowing AI development has consequences too. AI could accelerate scientific discovery, improve medicine and increase productivity.

Is the risk worth the reward?

I don't know what the answer is.

But when the people building something start telling us to think carefully about where it is going, it might be worth listening.

Not because they are necessarily right. But because we might regret waiting until they are.

Further reading here: Tableau: What are the advantages and disadvantages of artificial intelligence (AI)?