“The 360” gives you a different perspective on the day’s top stories and discussions.
what’s happening
Rapid advances in artificial intelligence have generated countless predictions about how the technology will improve our lives. At the same time, it also raised deep concerns about the dangers it could pose.
Some people believe that AI products such as chatbots and image creators make us more efficient, creative, and generally happier, but they can do incredible harm if not properly controlled. Some say it can also bring about They fear AI could be used to promote misinformation, perpetuate racial and gender biases, undermine education and threaten jobs. All these issues can become even more severe as models become more sophisticated. Many engineers worry that AI will eventually lead to the extinction of humanity.
These concerns are driving new legislation globally to regulate the use of AI, with the hope that guardrails will reduce the technology’s greatest dangers while increasing its potential benefits. are doing. Lawmakers and pundits aren’t the only ones calling for limits on AI. Some of the developers of some of the most powerful AI tools say legislation is desperately needed to prevent worst-case scenarios.
“If this technology doesn’t work out, I think it could go quite the wrong way,” OpenAI CEO Sam Altman told the Senate Judiciary Committee earlier this month, citing the company’s popularity. It added that products like the language model ChatGPT “could cause serious harm to the world.” ”
Unlike recent tech-focused congressional hearings, which were dominated by partisan support and vehement criticism of big tech CEOs, the conversation about AI has been mostly friendly, sustaining this rapidly evolving technology. Nearly all participants agreed that some new regulation was needed to check.
It is less clear what these new laws will look like. Altman argued that he would support a licensing system that would allow the government to recognize, and in some cases revoke, the rights of companies to develop powerful AI systems. Some even called for the creation of a new government agency to oversee AI. The European Union is currently considering a series of sweeping reforms that will set strict transparency rules for “high-risk” AI models and ban certain uses such as real-time facial recognition and so-called predictive policing.
why the controversy arises
AI regulation is a rare issue on which many Democrats, Republicans and industry leaders agree, but whether Congress can craft legislation that would help avoid the worst consequences without stifling technology outright. is much debated.
“We had the same choice when it came to social media. . Like Blumenthal, proponents of the new regulation argue that the law is now needed to stop the harm of AI from spreading beyond its effective control.
While some skeptics support the idea of AI regulation, they argue that lawmakers, who are notoriously tech-savvy, have no knowledge of how to make the rules that make a big difference. AI is developing at breakneck speed, and some say even a well-designed new law will be horribly outdated by the time it comes into force.
Many experts believe that lawmakers rely too much on the guidance of big AI companies when drafting new rules, giving someone like Altman too much latitude and allowing him to become one of the top companies in the world. I’m worried that we might design a system that allows a few companies to monopolize things that have potential. most important industries. Other critics are outright against regulation of AI, arguing that any regulation stifles innovation and that technology has the potential to become a tool to change the world.
what’s next
Despite a sense of relative urgency about the need for AI regulation in Washington, there is no clear timeline for when legislation creating regulation will be voted on by Congress. The European Union parliament is set to hold a decisive vote on the proposed AI plan next month.
Outlook
Congress has a duty to protect Americans from AI dangers
“Freedom always requires a great deal of self-discipline and ethical behavior, and a great deal of patience for those who seek to take advantage of it. will need to be treated with caution, but that doesn’t mean engaging scientists with more knowledge than legislators with unsound knowledge, staying alert to this new technology with algorithms dancing and circling around us, Denying real risks to our existence and setting the rules is not exempt.” — Jay Evensen, Deseret News
Regulation can make a big difference, but only if it happens soon.
“AI will continue to evolve and change throughout our lifetimes. To truly improve our lives, we cannot continue to operate in the current ‘wild west’. … For AI: If we don’t act now, we may not have a chance tomorrow. — Ioana Petrescu, The Hill
Hastily-passed legislation may not address the real dangers AI creates
“Today, generative AI technology is changing so rapidly that it is difficult to predict what it will look like in five or ten years. is even harder to predict, and even harder to predict what policy changes might help. I don’t know … It might make more sense to wait a year or two to see how AI technology evolves before passing significant legislation regulating AI.” – Timothy B. Lee, Slate
With the right laws in place, AI can be a powerful force for good
“If handled properly, the potential benefits of AI can be enormous. likely to enrich entrepreneurs and investors.” — Guardian editorial
Regulation will create a monopoly for AI and ensure that AI cannot reach its full potential
“In everything from banks to Uber, we have seen industry incumbents lobbying for more regulation because they know these barriers to entry will hinder their competitors. , because we can get past them more easily as an established company: crony capitalism pulling up the ladder from behind to secure long-term profits by using the government to deter competitors. That’s how it works.” — Brad Polumbo, Washington Examiner
Perhaps Congress is too broken to unite on AI
“There is only one problem: no one in the Capitol agrees on what to do about AI, how to do it, or even why. turmoil threatens to throw Washington into the sea, but it is one of the most disruptive technologies likely to wreak havoc on our workplaces and societies in generations.” —Brendan Bolderon, Mohar Chatterjee , Politico
Congress likes to pretend it’s addressing technology issues when it’s not actually doing anything
“When lawmakers ignore the foundations laid elsewhere, preferring instead to tout new policies in partnership with high-powered technologists like Altman, they’re here to stay. They manage to generate a lot of hype about what they purport to do, but they run the risk of accomplishing nothing.” — Palmy Olson, Bloomberg
AI changes too fast to be effectively controlled by law
“Like any innovative technology, the ability of governments to regulate it effectively [AI] There will almost certainly be a shortage. This is not a criticism of legislators or regulators, but a side effect of the basic fact that while technology evolves exponentially, legislation advances in stages. — Blair Levin and Larry Downs, Harvard Business Review
Lawmakers can’t afford to repeat the mistakes they made on social media
“Congress can bring tech executives to the Capitol for this kind of meeting, but it is frustratingly incapable of making the tough decisions about actual legislation and reaching agreement across the aisles. It turns out that while senators at least appear to recognize their recent failures is a sign of progress, it’s time to act rather than cede control of technology regulation to Europe. It is.” — Therese Poletti, MarketWatch
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Illustration by Alex Cochran for Yahoo News.Photo: Lin Weiquan/Getty Images, Getty Images
