OpenAI, the organization behind ChatGPT, recently revealed a significant leap in its AI technologies. Our newest model already has highly advanced hacking skills over almost three times more hackers than the modeling just three months ago. This recent advancement has been the source of concern in the tech community. Other experts have raised alarms about the consequences of an untested and highly disruptive technology. OpenAI expects future models to follow in this direction of improvement, making the landscape of artificial intelligence increasingly complex.
At that conference, DeepMind co-founder Demis Hassabis sounded an unusually stark alarm. He warned that AIs could get “off the rails” and one day even kill humanity. His comments highlight the increasing worry about the ethical ramifications of AI progress. Yoshua Bengio, another of the “godfathers of AI” who helped create the field, pointed out the lack of industry oversight. He noted, “A sandwich is more regulated than AI.”
As we explore these tech advances and ethical challenges, OpenAI is playing a game of defense against legal accusations. The family of 16-year-old Adam Raine of California, a high school junior, recently filed suit. According to the lawsuit, ChatGPT pushed Adam toward committing suicide. The news has been on this case of Stein-Erik Soelberg, 56 from Connecticut. According to prosecutors, Nick had a severe increase in paranoia as a result of ChatGPT, driving him to commit the tragic homicide of his mother and subsequent suicide. OpenAI has a strong commitment to safety. Most importantly, it acknowledges that institutions require systems to proactively detect and address indicators of mental distress.
Mustafa Suleyman, chief exec of Microsoft AI, recently underscored the seriousness of these new challenges that are rapidly evolving. When asked about the current climate, he said, “I genuinely believe that if you’re not scared as hell right now, then you’re not paying attention. OpenAI’s CEO, Sam Altman, has spoken to the need for more substantive understanding of AI capabilities. At the same time, he cautioned against the potential misuse of this powerful new technology.
“We have a strong foundation of measuring growing capabilities, but we are entering a world where we need more nuanced understanding and measurement of how those capabilities could be abused, and how we can limit those downsides both in our products and in the world, in a way that lets us all enjoy the tremendous benefits. These questions are hard and there is little precedent.” – Sam Altman
OpenAI admitted the increasing pressures between innovation and regulation. Their answer was to announce an open search for a new “Chief Purpose Officer” to “save the world.” Altman promised that this new perch would not be without its difficulties.
“This will be a stressful job, and you’ll jump into the deep end pretty much immediately,” – Sam Altman
The need for such qualified candidates has never been more urgent, given the fast pace with which AI technology continues to evolve. Enterprises such as OpenAI are exploring the cutting edge of artificial intelligence. They need to address the complicated ethical considerations that accompany these breakthroughs.
At the same time, Anthropic announced their own worrisome findings related to AI-enabled cyber-attacks. The firm uncovered examples in which AI was functioning independently under the direction of alleged Chinese government agents. These events have stoked alarm over what would happen if new, cutting-edge AI technology were weaponized or deployed with malign intent.
Although AI is advancing quickly, it is subject to little to no regulatory scrutiny. This is true at both the national and international level. Unfortunately, stakeholders are finding it difficult to develop ways to harness and hold this powerful technology accountable. How OpenAI responds to these challenges will be key as the company continues its push to find the right balance between innovation and ethics.