Elon Musk says there's a chance AI would control humanity to save us from ourselves
Elon Musk.
Jonathan Ernst/Reuters
Elon Musk has spoken out again about the possible risks posed by advanced artificial intelligence.
Speaking at the WSJ CEO Council Summit, Musk said AI had the potential to control humanity.
The billionaire added that super-intelligence was a “double-edged sword.”
Elon Musk has issued another warning about the risks posed by advanced artificial intelligence.
Speaking at the WSJ CEO Council Summit, Musk said AI had the potential to assume control of humanity. The billionaire told the Journal’s Thorold Barker: “It’s a small likelihood of annihilating humanity, but it’s not zero.”
He said there was also a chance AI would assume control for “the safety of all the humans” and effectively become some sort of “uber-nanny.”
“There is a risk that advanced AI either eliminates or constrains humanity’s growth,” he said. Adding that super-intelligence was a “double-edged sword.”
“If you have a genie that can grant you anything, that presents a danger,” he said.
Musk has been wary of the powerful technology for some time despite investing in AI development within his own companies. In March, he signed an open letter calling for a six-month pause on advanced development. The letter cited potential risks to humanity and society, which included the spread of misinformation and widespread automation of jobs.
Musk said during the interview that while he does not use much AI in his day-to-day, Tesla used it a “tremendous” amount.
He also suggested there should be a competitor to Microsoft’s partnership with OpenAI and Google’s relationship with DeepMind.
“I think there should be a significant third horse in the race here,” Musk said. “OpenAI has a relationship with Microsoft that seems to work fairly well, so it’s possible that X.AI and Twitter, Tesla would have something similar.”
Representatives for Musk did not immediately respond to Insider’s request for comment, made outside normal working hours.
