Elon Musk pulls emergency break on AI—admits risk to the future of humanity

According to Reuters, Musk, along with tech heavyweights like Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak, Skype co-founder Jaan Tallinn, Stability AI CEO Emad Mostaque and the godfather of AI, Yoshua Bengio, plus over 1000 other experts in the field of AI, has signed a 600 word letter released by the non-profit Future of Life.

The open letter calls for a 6 month pause in the training of any systems more powerful than GPT-4 citing potential risks to society and humanity.

The letter points to the dire necessity for the design, implementation and audit of shared safety protocols within the industry and claims that “powerful AI Systems should be developed only once we are confident that their effects will be positive and their risks be manageable.”

It goes on to cite risks such as economic and political disruption and destruction as realistic threats.

While some critics claim the letter is a ploy to increase hype around AI, the issue of AI risks intensified Monday as Europol joined a chorus of legal and ethical concerns citing phising and serious cybercrime as valid threats.

In a statement that pulls focus on just how serious the letter’s supporters are taking this issue, the letter puts forth an ominous demand for a “public and verifiable” pause that includes “all key actors” in the field.

It continues, “If such a pause cannot be enacted quickly, governments should step in and institute a moratorium.”Whether the letter itself is a ploy to boost interest in AI or not, the conversation is not new.Artificial Intelligence and transhumanism agendas in general have seen a noticeable spike in recent time leaving many with a bad feeling of what’s to come.