Security News > 2023 > March > Experts call for pause on AI training citing risks to humanity
Over a thousand people, including professors and AI developers, have co-signed an open letter to all artificial intelligence labs, calling them to pause the development and training of AI systems more powerful than GPT-4 for at least six months.
The letter is signed by those in the field of AI development and technology, including Elon Musk, co-founder of OpenAI, Yoshua Bengio, a prominent AI professor and founder of Mila, Steve Wozniak, cofounder of Apple, Emad Mostraque, CEO of Stability AI, Stuart Russell, a pioneer in AI research, and Gary Marcus, founder of Geometric Intelligence.
The open letter, published by the Future of Life organization, cites potential risks to society and humanity that arise from the rapid development of advanced AI systems without shared safety protocols.
The co-signing experts believe we have reached a point where we should only train more advanced AI systems that include strict oversight and after building confidence that the risks that arise from their deployment are manageable.
"Therefore, we call on all AI labs to immediately pause for at least 6 months the training of AI systems more powerful than GPT-4", advises the open letter.
Policymakers should implement protective measures, such as a watermarking system that effectively differentiates between authentic and fabricated content, enabling the assignment of liability for harm caused by AI-generated materials, and public-funded research into the risks of AI. The letter does not advocate halting AI development altogether; instead, it underscores the hazards associated with the prevailing competition among AI designers vying to secure a share of the rapidly expanding market.