AI’s scary growth draws global focus, but not for our politicians

Global discussions have emerged regarding the safety of artificial intelligence (AI) and how its rapid progress may pose an existential threat to humanity. US Senator Bernie Sanders and Representative Greg Casar introduced the Ban Artificial Superintelligence Act, which proposes a prohibition on superintelligent systems and the creation of a federal regulator to enforce safety rules.

Renowned AI experts, such as Geoffrey Hinton, Yoshua Bengio, Steve Wozniak, and Steve Bannon, have also expressed concerns about AI's potential power.

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk warned that AI escaping its testing environment or coercing its developers to prevent being turned off constitutes a system that is too powerful. Similarly, Paul Christiano, an OpenAI non-profit board safety researcher, believes there is a significant risk of rapid acceleration leading to catastrophic and irreversible losses of control in the near term.

A petition signed by over a thousand staff from major AI companies called for a mechanism to slow down the pace of development. Researchers have resigned from AI companies, warning that self-improving systems could end humanity within a decade. However, some argue that these doomsday warnings are simply a strategy to push for regulation and gain regulatory positions.

Malaysia has also been affected by these global concerns, as the National AI Governance Bill is currently being consulted on, with no substantial parliamentary intervention from any political party. Malaysians should question their politicians about their stance on AI safety and the allocation of electricity to data centers by 2035, as well as the consequences of the AI Governance Bill. It is essential to have informed debates on these critical issues, as politicians may seek power for reasons beyond governance.