On the second day of the UK Artificial Intelligence Summit, Elon Musk referred to artificial intelligence as a “genie in a lamp.”
The global conference on AI safety in the UK concluded on November 2nd with discussions between UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and Elon Musk.
Among the leaders of OpenAI, Meta, and Google DeepMind, along with the heads of 28 countries, Musk was one of the prominent figures participating in this summit.
Musk’s nearly one-hour conversation with Sunak was a key event on the second day. In this conversation, Musk discussed various topics, from the dangers of artificial intelligence to developments in China.
Elon Musk likened new artificial intelligence technology to a “genie in a lamp.” He said, “The story of artificial intelligence is similar to the story of a genie in a lamp. When there’s a genie that can grant any wish, the story usually doesn’t end well. Be careful what you wish for.”
Sunak and Musk also mentioned smart robots that require a physical key to operate, emphasizing their dissimilarity to the science fiction movies like Terminator. Sunak said that all these movies have a common theme, ending with the hero turning off the robot.
Musk expressed that this technology is both good and bad. One of the challenges of the future will be to find meaning in life when we have a genie who can do anything we want.
This topic arose after governments and AI companies agreed to subject new models to formal testing before their public release, an agreement that Sunak deemed a significant achievement.
When asked about the impact of AI on the job market, Musk called it the “most destructive force in history” and said this technology will be smarter than the smartest humans: “A time will come when there’s no need for any job. If you want a job for personal satisfaction, you can work, but artificial intelligence will be capable of doing everything.” Musk concluded by saying he doesn’t know if this will make people comfortable or uncomfortable.
In addition, Musk mentioned China’s participation in the summit, stating that it is “necessary” because if they don’t participate, the summit would be futile. According to Musk, if the United States, the UK, and China cooperate on AI safety, it would be a positive development, as they generally lead in this field.
Over the past year, the United States and China have been competing head-to-head in the development and deployment of advanced AI systems. With the rapid rise of AI, governments worldwide have been busy finding appropriate ways to regulate this technology.
Musk responded to Sunak’s question about what governments should do to reduce risks. He said, “I think when public safety is at risk, the government should play a role. In the case of most software, public safety is not at risk, but when we talk about digital superintelligence that comes with risks to the public, the government has a role in protecting the people.”
Musk noted that while Silicon Valley’s vehement opposition may consider regulations “annoying,” having what he calls an “umpire” will be beneficial. “Sometimes I think there’s excessive optimism about technology. The government, as an umpire, must ensure there’s fair behavior and public safety is maintained.”
Despite Elon Musk’s strong opposition to AI, he has founded a company in the AI industry. Today, Musk announced that his company, xAI, will release its first AI tomorrow. According to Musk, this AI can be the best in the market in many significant aspects.
