Elon Musk tells Sky News AI is a 'risk' to humanity

Elon Musk

During a UK safety summit attended by prominent tech executives and world leaders, including billionaire Elon Musk, the Tesla CEO shared his concerns about AI and its inherent risks. Musk remarked that he sees the growth of AI as a threat, emphasizing the need to address its dangers.

Elon Musk - Figure 1
Photo Sky News

The individual who owns SpaceX and Tesla has been vocal for a considerable amount of time concerning the hazards of artificial intelligence. At the beginning of the year, they cautioned that it could result in the destruction of civilization.

When Sky News questioned him about whether he still considered AI to pose a danger to humankind during the meeting, he responded by saying that it was a potential hazard.

Several nations, such as the United States and China, supported a joint agreement with the United Kingdom in order to address the significant risks associated with this situation and avoid potential catastrophic outcomes.

28 nations, including the top AI influencers globally, have committed to the Bletchley Declaration initiated by the UK. The declaration emphasizes the importance of international collaboration to fully utilize AI while ensuring the safety of individuals.

The summit that started on Wednesday is called Bletchley Park, which is where the codebreakers for Britain during World War II lived and worked.

Over 100 influential individuals from politics and industry have gathered, and Mr. Musk is one of them. The guest list includes notable figures such as Sam Altman from OpenAI, Demis Hassabis from Google DeepMind, and the Vice President of the United States, Kamala Harris.

According to Professor Michael Barrett, who teaches at the Cambridge Judge Business School, Mr. Musk's celebrity status may cause people to view him as an unimportant distraction. However, Professor Barrett believes that Mr. Musk possesses valuable knowledge and experience that can be shared with others.

According to the speaker, Mr. Musk's attendance at the summit is beneficial in two ways. Firstly, it adds a global perspective to the event. Secondly, Mr. Musk is a key stakeholder who must engage in effective conversations with other stakeholders regarding AI safety.

Discover more:Elon Musk's attendance at UK's safety summit

After the end of Thursday's activities, Mr. Musk will have a live conversation with Rishi Sunak on X (previously referred to as Twitter).

Both individuals have expressed alarming concerns about the negative impact of artificial intelligence. They fear scenarios such as terrorists using the technology to create dangerous biological weapons or humans being unable to manage it adequately.

Mr. Musk has been expressing his views on regulation more frequently. In September, he addressed the US Congress and mentioned that there is a significant agreement regarding the need for regulation.

In contrast, Mr. Sunak has conveyed prudence, stating that excessive monitoring would impede creativity.

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Elon Musk, a celebrated entrepreneur, expressed uncertainty about whether humans have the ability to manage artificial intelligence (AI). He revealed his thoughts at the World Government Summit in Dubai; an event that brings together world leaders to discuss the latest topics and technology advancements shaping the way our governments operate. Musk is a well-known advocate for AI, but he has been warning that "the rise of robots" poses a risk to humanity if not cautiously moderated all the time. His statement implies that we must be cautious and vigilant when handling AI, given its immense potential. However, he does not rule out the fact that people can control the consequences if they act responsibly and with enough knowledge.

Prior to the safety summit in the UK, the wealthiest person globally expressed his disagreement towards the comprehensive precautions introduced by the President of the United States, Joe Biden, at the beginning of this week.

According to Prof Barrett's opinion, it seems that Mr Musk isn't happy with the updates from the White House, so he might be looking to influence the UK government's strategy instead.

During the summit, Mr. Musk put forward the idea that he would rather have an impartial regulator outside of the industry to oversee it.

He stated to the PA news agency that it is uncertain if we have the capability to govern artificial intelligence.

I believe that we can aim to steer it towards a path that is advantageous for humankind.

The summit has been criticized for paying more attention to possible threats than to actual and immediate ones. Businesses and unions want laws created to safeguard jobs and fight against fake information like deepfakes.

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