MIT professor compares AI to a large asteroid moving toward Earth

Multiple AI experts have sounded the alarm around the development of artificial generative intelligence (AGI). Thousands of signatories came together to sign a petition to stop OpenAI and other AI companies to develop any new version of the AI which is faster than GPT-4. One of the signatories, Max Tegmark, who is a professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, has highlighted the need for action to be taken to prevent the potential risks posed by unaligned superintelligence.

The AI Asteroid is Coming

In a column written in Time, Tegmark likens the situation to the plot of the popular Netflix movie, "Don't Look Up," where scientists are ignored despite having a plan to prevent an asteroid from hitting Earth. Tegmark notes that the same is true for the threat of superintelligence, where many scientists have a workable plan to steer AI in a safer direction, but their concerns are being ignored.

Tegmark cited a recent survey claiming that half of AI researchers give AI at least a 10 per cent chance of causing human extinction. Tegmark claims that despite such an alarming situation, the responses to the threat have been mostly negative. Many are even in denial or are making jokes about the issue. Tegmark argues that this is a serious problem, as unaligned superintelligence could cause untold damage to humanity, even potentially causing human extinction.

In the movie 'Don't Look Up' we see multiple reactions to the arrival of an asteroid and its eventual doom. Max Tegmark explained the different schools of thought in regard to AI and its developments. They range from 'Asteroid Denial' to "There in no Asteroid".

Also read: 'A Chernobyl for AI' looms if artificial intelligence is kept unchecked, says scientist Stuart Russell

Tegmark notes that some companies are currently working on artificial general intelligence (AGI), which can learn and perform most intellectual tasks that humans can, including AI development. He argues that this could rapidly lead to superintelligence, which is defined as "general intelligence far beyond the human level." Tegmark also argues that intelligence is all about information processing, and it does not matter whether the information is processed by carbon atoms in brains or by silicon atoms in computers.

Tegmark highlights the need for action to be taken to prevent the potential risks posed by unchecked artificial intelligence which might eventually lead to a superintelligence. He notes that this is not a problem that can be ignored, and that humanity needs to shift into high gear with a mission to steer AI in a safer direction than out-of-control superintelligence.

Also read: 'AI is significantly higher risk than nuclear weapons': Elon Musk

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