Google and Alphabet Chief Executive Officer Sundar Pichai has expressed concern about the rapid development of artificial intelligence (AI) and its potential impact on society.
In a recent interview with CBS’ “60 Minutes,” Pichai warned that every product of every company will be affected by AI and that society needs to prepare for these technologies.
He noted that even knowledge workers, including software engineers, writers, accountants, and architects, could be impacted by AI.
Mr Pichai demonstrated several of Google’s AI projects to the interviewer, Scott Pelley, who expressed unease and shock at the human-like capabilities of the products. Pichai acknowledged that the development of AI will have consequences, including the potential for disinformation, fake news, and images that could cause harm.
The CEO called for the development of regulations, laws, and treaties among nations to make AI safe for the world and align with human values, including morality.
He emphasized that the development of AI should involve not just engineers but also social scientists, ethicists, and philosophers.
Google has launched a document outlining recommendations for regulating AI.
However, Mr Pichai stressed that it’s not for a company to decide and that society must adapt quickly to regulate and punish AI abuse.
Despite the potential risks of AI, Mr Pichai remains optimistic, citing the early concern about the implications of AI technology.
He acknowledged that society may not be fully prepared for AI like Google’s Bard chatbot, which can create stories and respond to questions at superhuman speeds.
However, he noted that AI is not sentient and not aware of itself, but it can behave like it.
In conclusion, Mr Pichai’s interview with CBS emphasized the need for society to prepare for the impact of AI and develop regulations to ensure that AI aligns with human values and does not cause harm.