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America’s AI Development Cannot Afford a Pause
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This month, we saw top government officials meet with leading tech executives, including the Alphabet and Microsoft CEOs, to discuss advancements in AI and Washington’s involvement. But as quickly as the ChatGPT, Bard and other well-known generative AI models are advancing, American businesses have to know that malicious actors representing the world’s most successful hacking groups and aggressive nation-states are building their own generative AI replicas — and they won’t stop for anything.
There’s ample reason for experts to be concerned about the overwhelming speed with which generative AI could transform the technology industry, the medical industry, education, agriculture and nearly any other industry in not only America, but the world. Movies like The Terminator, for example, provide plenty of (fictional) precedent for being scared of the effects of a runaway AI, fueling more realistic concerns like AI-induced mass layoffs.
But it’s exactly because AI has the power to revolutionize society as we know it that America cannot afford a private or government-ordered pause on developing it, and why doing so would cripple our ability to defend individuals and businesses from our enemies. Because AI development happens so quickly, any amount of delay that regulators put on that development would set us back exponentially in comparison with our adversaries who are also developing their own AI.
AI advances quickly, government regulates slowly
Regulators aren’t used to moving at the speed that AI necessitates, and even if they were, there’s no guarantee that it would make a difference in how we’re able to use AI to successfully defend ourselves from adversaries. For example, legislators have attempted for decades to regulate and penalize the recreational drug trade in America, but criminals pushing dangerous, illicit substances don’t follow those rules; they’re criminals, so they don’t care. The same behavior will occur among our geopolitical rivals, who will disregard any attempt America makes to place guardrails around AI development.
The need for speed
That isn’t to say we should let private companies develop AI as a fully unregulated technology. When genetic engineering evolved to become a reality in the healthcare industry, the federal government regulated it within America to enable more effective medicine while recognizing that other countries and independent adversaries might use it unethically or to cause harm — creating viruses, for example.
I believe we can do the same for AI by recognizing that we have to create protections and standards for ethical use but also grasp that our enemies will not be following those regulations. In order to do so, our government and technology CEOs need to operate swiftly without delay. We have to operate at the pace of AI’s current development, or in other words, the speed of data.
The AI Arms Race
In cybersecurity, we’ve always referred to our ability to create tools to thwart attackers’ exploits and scams as an arms race. But with AI as advanced as GPT-4 in the picture, the arms race has gone nuclear. Malicious actors can use artificial intelligence to find vulnerabilities and entry points and generate phishing messages that take information from public company emails, LinkedIn, and organizational charts, rendering them nearly identical to real emails or text messages. On the other hand, cybersecurity companies looking to bolster their defensive prowess can use AI to easily identify patterns and anomalies in system access records or create test code.
What’s important to remember, though, is that both sides are developing their arsenal of AI-based tools as fast as possible — and pausing that development would only sideline the good guys.
Conclusion
AI has the potential to change our world in many ways, and the speed of development is both exciting and concerning. While there is a need for ethical use standards and protections, it is crucial to recognize that our geopolitical rivals will not be following these same rules. A delay in AI development could result in America falling behind in the AI arms race, putting both individuals and businesses at risk. It is imperative for the government and technology companies to work together and keep up with the pace of AI’s development to defend us against our adversaries.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why cannot AI development be paused?
An AI development pause could set us back exponentially in comparison to our adversaries who are also developing their own AI. Furthermore, our enemies will not adhere to any moratorium that we place on AI development in America.
What are the risks of halting AI development?
A delay in AI development could result in America falling behind in the AI arms race, putting both individuals and businesses at risk. Malicious actors are developing their arsenal of AI-based tools as fast as possible, and pausing development would only sideline those trying to defend against them.
How can adequate protective measures be taken while allowing for unhindered AI development?
It is important to create protections and standards for ethical use but also accept that our enemies will not be following those regulations. Our government and technology CEOs need to operate swiftly without delay and work together to keep up with the pace of AI’s development to defend us against our adversaries.
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