'We're on the same page': OpenAI's Sam Altman, Google's Sundar Pichai, Microsoft's Satya Nadella discuss AI with US govt

US President Joe Biden met with CEOs of some of the biggest names in the artificial intelligence industry, including Microsoft, Google and OpenAI on Thursday to discuss the safety of their products. The two-hour meeting focused on the potential risks posed by AI, including privacy violations, employment discrimination, and the potential for scams and misinformation campaigns.

The meeting, which included Google CEO Sundar Pichai and Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella, as well as representatives from OpenAI and Anthropic, among others, was described as a "frank and constructive discussion" about the need for more transparency in the industry. Vice President Kamala Harris also attended the meeting and emphasized the potential for AI to improve lives but also expressed concern about safety, privacy, and civil rights.

According to a report by Reuters, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman claims that all the companies at the meeting are on the same page on regulations. He said, "We're surprisingly on the same page on what needs to happen."

The White House also announced a $140 million investment in seven new AI research institutes and said the Office of Management and Budget would release policy guidance on the use of AI by the US federal government. Additionally, leading AI developers will participate in a public evaluation of their AI systems.

ChatGPT was introduced to the public in November last year and since then generative artificial intelligence has become a buzz word, regardless of geography, industry and boundaries. The expansive growth of the platform, followed by some big profile launches from Microsoft and Google have raised concerns about the impact and safety of the new disruptive tools. 

Many experts in the field of AI have issued stern warnings about the sudden growth of the technology. Governments and organisations have identified three immediate threats to AI. The rapid growth of AI can lead to 1.) privacy violations, 2.) a direct threat to employment, 3.) scams at a mass scale, and 4.) misinformation campaigns.

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