Elon Musk and Other Tech Leaders Call for Pause in Dangerous AI Race

Elon Musk, Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak and other technology leaders have called on competing artificial intelligence (AI) firms to put a hold on creating AI systems more powerful than GPT-4, OpenAI’s latest large language model. In an open letter, signatories urged the firms for a six-month hiatus on the development of more advanced AI, contending that it represents a risk to society.

The letter urges rival AI laboratories to stop training models more powerful than current levels. Using stark language, the letter asks, “Should we automate away all the jobs, including the fulfilling ones? Should we develop nonhuman minds that might eventually outnumber, outsmart, obsolete, and replace us? Should we risk loss of control of our civilization?” The letter also says that if a pause cannot be agreed upon, then governments should intervene and install a moratorium.

Since its release, early AI frontrunner ChatGPT stunned users with its capabilities. Some two months after becoming available, ChatGPT had amassed 100 million monthly active users, making it the fastest-growing consumer app in history.

Now, there is a global AI arms race underway, with dozens of credible AI projects in various stages of development around the world. Regulators have been racing to get a handle on AI tools as the technology is advancing at a rapid pace. The call for a pause in development by respected tech leaders should give everyone a moment for reflection on the implications of the technology.