Elon Musk says AI regulation ‘will be annoying’ but, ultimately, ‘having a referee is a good thing’ to reduce the threat to mankind
Elon Musk renewed calls for regulation of artificial intelligence during an on-stage conversation with British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak as part of a two-day UK summit on AI safety.
Regulation “will be boring, that’s true,” Musk said Thursday, “but I think we’ve learned over the years that having an arbiter is a good thing.”
The billionaire’s high-profile appearance alongside Sunak capped a summit marked by tensions between those focused on the supposed existential risks of AI and those worried about near-term concerns, such as the potential of technology to fuel discrimination and misinformation. Musk himself has repeatedly sounded the alarm about the future impact of AI on civilization.
In the conversation with Sunak, the You’re here The CEO of Inc. described AI as “the most disruptive force in history” and said we will eventually have “something smarter than the smartest human.”
As a result, Musk said, “there will come a time when no jobs are needed.” You can have a job if you want a job. Whether or not that makes people comfortable remains to be seen, he said. “One of the challenges of the future will be how to find meaning in life,” he said.
On Wednesday, the British government unveiled the Bletchley Declaration, a statement signed by 28 countries warning of the potential for AI to cause “catastrophic” harm. Among the signatory countries was China.
Musk praised Sunak’s decision to invite China to the summit as “very good” and said he had discussed AI safety during a visit to China earlier this year.
“China is ready to participate in AI security and thank you for inviting them,” Musk said. “I think we should thank China for participating.”
