Even the top leaders in the technology industry are concerned about the risks of AI in the future. Here is an article by CEO Sundar Pichai himself on this issue in the Financial Times:
Google CEO Sundar Pichai. Photo: FT
This year, artificial intelligence (AI) has captured the world’s imagination. Millions of people are already using it to boost creativity and improve productivity. Meanwhile, more startups and organizations are bringing AI-powered products and technologies to market faster than ever before.
AI is the most profound technology humanity is working on today; it will touch every industry and aspect of life. As more and more people work to advance the science of AI, more and more opportunities will open up for communities everywhere.
While some have tried to call for a rein in the AI race, we see it getting stronger. However, it is important that the race to build AI is responsible and that we as a society get it right.
At Google, we’re approaching this in three ways. First, by boldly pursuing innovations that make AI more useful for everyone. We’re continuing to use AI to dramatically improve our products—from Google Search and Gmail to Android and Maps.
These advances mean drivers across Europe can now find more fuel-efficient routes; tens of thousands of Ukrainian refugees have been helped to find new homes; flood forecasting tools can predict floods earlier.
Google DeepMind's work on AlphaFold, in collaboration with the European Molecular Biology Laboratory, has yielded groundbreaking insights into over 200 million scientifically catalogued proteins, opening up new healthcare possibilities.
Our focus is also on supporting others outside of our company to innovate with AI. We are setting up an AI social innovation fund to help social enterprises tackle some of Europe’s most pressing challenges.
Second, we ensure that we develop and deploy technology responsibly, reflecting our deep commitment to earning the trust of our users. That’s why we published our AI principles in 2018, rooted in the belief that AI should be developed to benefit society while avoiding harmful applications.
We have many examples of putting those principles into practice, such as building safeguards to limit misuse of our Universal Translator, an AI video dubbing service that helps experts translate a speaker's voice and match their lip movements.
It has huge potential to increase learning but we know the risks it poses in the wrong hands and therefore only allow access to authorized partners. As AI evolves, so will our approach.
Ultimately, harnessing the potential of AI is not something one company can do alone. In 2020, I shared my view that AI needs to be regulated in a way that balances innovation and potential harm.
Developing policy frameworks that anticipate potential harms and unlock benefits will require thoughtful discussions among governments, industry experts, publishers, academia and civil society.
Continued investment in responsible AI research and development will be crucial – as will ensuring AI is applied safely, especially as regulations continue to evolve. Increased international cooperation will be key.
AI represents a once-in-a-generation opportunity for the world to achieve climate goals, achieve sustainable growth, maintain global competitiveness, and more. However, we are still in the early days and there is much work ahead.
We look forward to doing that work with others and building AI together safely and responsibly so everyone can benefit.
Huy Hoang ( translated from FT )
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