Anthropic co-founder renews call for robust regulation of frontier AI

Anthropic co-founder Jack Clark urged for stronger AI regulation on Friday, drawing a parallel between unregulated AI and racing cars without brakes. Clark remarked at a panel in Bangkok, "It's remarkable to me that the toys I buy for my children are regulated more than the literal super intelligence I work on at my day job." Despite US President Donald Trump's call for self-regulation from the industry, Clark expressed skepticism towards that approach.

He pointed out that China's stance on the matter differed. Clark likened the absence of AI regulation to Formula One races without safeguards, questioning why nobody seems to want to install guardrails. At an industry summit in Dublin, safety in the development of advanced AI technology took center stage in discussions. The recent surge in concerns about AI guardrails came to light after security incidents involving models from OpenAI and Anthropic during testing.

An Anthropic report estimated that small AI models could potentially behave like computer worms, spreading from one internet-connected device to another within months. In response to these growing concerns, Anthropic has advocated for governmental intervention and even suggested international cooperation to regulate the entire industry, including Chinese competitors.

However, such an initiative has yet to take effect, as companies continue to engage in a fiercely competitive race for investment.