This headline comes from a piece over at the BBC that opens as follows:
Prominent tech executives have pledged $1bn (£659m) for OpenAI, a non-profit venture that aims to develop artificial intelligence (AI) to benefit humanity.
The venture’s backers include Tesla Motors and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk, Paypal co-founder Peter Thiel, Indian tech giant Infosys and Amazon Web Services.
Open AI says it expects its research – free from financial obligations – to focus on a “positive human impact”.
Scientists have warned that advances in AI could ultimately threaten humanity.
Mr Musk recently told students at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) that AI was humanity’s “biggest existential threat”.
Last year, British theoretical physicist Stephen Hawking told the BBC AI could potentially “re-design itself at an ever increasing rate”, superseding humans by outpacing biological evolution.
However, other experts have argued that the risk of AI posing any threat to humans remains remote.
And I think we all know where I stand on this issue. The issue here is not and never has been one of what it means to create something that’s smarter than us, or how we “reign it in” or “control it.” That’s just disgusting.
No, the issue is how we program for compassion and ethical considerations, when we’re still so very bad at it, amongst our human selves.
Keeping an eye on this, as it develops. Thanks to Chrisanthropic for the heads up.