US President Joe Biden has emphasized that technology companies need to ensure the safety of their AI products before making them public. Speaking to science and technology advisers, he acknowledged the potential benefits of AI in addressing global challenges such as disease and climate change. However, he also stressed the importance of addressing potential risks to society, national security, and the economy.
Biden called on tech companies to take responsibility for ensuring that their AI products are safe and highlighted the harm that powerful technologies can do without the right safeguards. He cited the impact on the mental health and self-images of young people as an example of such harm.
Congress has been urged to pass bipartisan privacy legislation to put limits on personal data that technology companies collect, ban advertising targeted at children, and prioritize health and safety in product development.
The President’s focus on governing creates a politically advantageous split screen with his predecessor, former President Donald Trump, who surrendered in New York over charges stemming from a probe into hush money paid to a porn star. However, Biden declined to comment on Trump’s legal woes.
Shares of companies that employ AI dropped sharply before Biden’s meeting, although the broader market was also selling off on Tuesday. Companies such as C3.ai Inc, Guardforce AI, BigBear.ai, and SoundHound AI were down by up to 29% due to concerns about the potential dangers of AI.
The use of AI has become a hot topic for policymakers, and the tech ethics group Center for Artificial Intelligence and Digital Policy has asked the US Federal Trade Commission to stop OpenAI from issuing new commercial releases of GPT-4. Democratic US Senator Chris Murphy has urged society to pause as it considers the ramifications of AI.
Last year, the Biden administration released a “Bill of Rights” blueprint to help ensure users’ rights are protected as technology companies design and develop AI systems. The President’s message is clear: AI has the potential to be both beneficial and dangerous, and tech companies must prioritize safety before going public with their products.
Source : Reuters