The development of AI technology has been useful in many industries, from food and hospitality to health care and industrial engineering. It helps to improve the performance and productivity of goods and services. It reduces the processing time. It helps solve the problem and much more. However, it also has its downside, as Eliezer Yudkowsky, an AI researcher and writer, warns.
He calls for a halt to model development and issues a caution about the effects of an alternative AI model that is more potent than GPT-4. The destruction of humankind is at stake if the project continues. The open letter, written by the Future of Life Institute, urges to temporarily stop the development of advanced AI projects. The goal is to create a safety protocol for advanced AI creation and development, which is a good thing. Artificial intelligence has its weaknesses. It has its limitations, such as producing wrong information and showing social bias, even though it is better than the earlier version. GPT-4 has difficulty playing Wordle. It cannot guess the hidden word even though it knows a lot of words from training. The input and output of the neural network are mapped out using mathematical operations. Therefore, words must be able to translate into numbers for GPT-4 to work.
Yudkowsky declines to sign the open letter. He thinks that six months are insufficient to create a plan that will deal with cutting-edge technology safely. He advises to shut all the AI operations down until there is a plan to deal with advanced AI safety issues, which is understandable. It is better to be safe than sorry. The problem is: how much time? Who is behind the training dataset for evolving technology? What is the consequence of shutting down all operations to build a new AI mode that is more powerful than GPT-4? Will America still be able to beat other countries on technology? It is important to keep up with advanced technology, especially today. The rise of using AI in the military is a major concern, as is AI becoming a political or destructive weapon. Other countries are developing advanced AI to either destroy or improve lives and society, regardless of Yudkowsky’s warning. A declaration on the responsible application of AI in the military was ratified by the U.S. and other nations. The problem is what each country defines as “responsible.” Also, is it possible that other countries would breach the request?
Sources:
‘We Are All Going to Die:’ Researcher Calls for Advanced AI Projects to Be Shut Down
ChatGPT is about to steal your job — but it can’t beat you at Wordle
AI expert slams Elon Musk-signed ‘pause’ letter: ‘Everyone on Earth will die’
U.S., China, other nations urge ‘responsible’ use of military AI
