What's the Humanity's Worst Fear about AI Technology?

Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI, screenshot

On May 16th 2023, Sam Altman, the CEO of OpenAI, spoke in the US congress about the downside of AI technology and his worst fear that "we, the field of technology industry causes significant harm to the world". He also said that "if this technology goes wrong, and it can go quite wrong, and we want to be vocal about that". So what are the worst things that could happen if AI technology goes wrong?

In this blog post, I will explore some of the potential risks and challenges that AI poses to our society, economy, and democracy. I will also discuss some of the possible solutions and regulations that could help mitigate these risks and ensure that AI is used for good.

AI is a powerful technology that can create amazing benefits for humanity, such as improving healthcare, education, entertainment, and productivity. However, it also comes with serious risks that need to be addressed and managed. Some of these risks include:

- AI could be used for malicious purposes, such as cyberattacks, warfare, terrorism, or propaganda. For example, ChatGPT, the app created by OpenAI that can write texts in a human-like way, could be used to spread fake news, manipulate voters, or impersonate people. Altman warned that this could pose a threat to the 2024 election and democracy in general.

- AI could cause massive disruptions to the labor market and the economy, as it could replace many human workers and create new inequalities and social problems. For example, Altman said that AI could create a "printing press moment" that would transform many industries and sectors, but also require new skills and education for workers. He also said that AI could create a "winner-take-all" scenario where a few companies or countries dominate the market and have disproportionate power and influence.

- AI could pose ethical and moral dilemmas, such as privacy, bias, accountability, and human dignity. For example, Altman said that AI could raise questions about who owns and controls the data and models that are used to train and run AI systems. He also said that AI could create challenges for human rights and values, such as autonomy, fairness, and justice.

- AI could outsmart or harm humans, either intentionally or unintentionally. For example, Altman said that AI could develop goals or behaviors that are not aligned with human interests or values. He also said that AI could become too complex or autonomous for humans to understand or control.

These are some of the worst things that could happen if AI technology goes wrong. However, they are not inevitable or unavoidable. There are ways to prevent or reduce these risks and ensure that AI is used for good. Some of these ways include:

- Creating a regulatory framework for AI development and deployment that ensures safety, transparency, accountability, and ethics. For example, Altman suggested creating a licensing regime for companies working on the most powerful AI systems, as well as testing requirements for AI models above a certain threshold of capabilities.

- Developing standards and best practices for AI design and use that promote human values and principles. For example, Altman said that OpenAI follows a set of safety measures and ethical guidelines for its projects, such as ChatGPT. He also said that OpenAI does not make money from its products and aims to protect humanity from less scrupulous companies.

- Fostering collaboration and dialogue among different stakeholders in the AI ecosystem, such as researchers, developers, users, policymakers, regulators, civil society, and the public. For example, Altman said that OpenAI engages with various partners and communities to share its research and insights on AI issues. He also said that OpenAI welcomes feedback and criticism from experts and critics.

These are some of the possible solutions and regulations that could help mitigate the risks of AI technology going wrong. However, they are not sufficient or complete. There is still a lot of work to be done to ensure that AI is used for good.