Microsoft, a leader in the field of generative AI, has been closely involved in the development and ethical considerations of artificial intelligence (AI). Brad Smith, the president of Microsoft, has recently stated that the creation of super-intelligent AI is not imminent, suggesting it could be many years away, according to Reuters.
This statement comes amid significant developments and controversies in the AI sector.
“There’s absolutely no probability that you’re going to see this so-called AGI, where computers are more powerful than people, in the next 12 months. It’s going to take years, if not many decades, but I still think the time to focus on safety is now,” he said.
Recently, Sam Altman, co-founder of OpenAI, was temporarily removed as CEO by the company’s board a few weeks ago, only to be reinstated following protests from employees and shareholders. This board decision occurred shortly after researchers raised alarms about a potentially dangerous discovery, as reported by Reuters. This discovery, part of a project named Q*, aimed at achieving artificial general intelligence (AGI) — systems capable of outperforming humans in a wide range of economically valuable tasks. However, Smith, addressing reporters in the UK yesterday, dismissed concerns about any hazardous breakthroughs at OpenAI.
“What we really need are safety brakes. Just like you have a safety break in an elevator, a circuit breaker for electricity, an emergency brake for a bus — there ought to be safety breaks in AI systems that control critical infrastructure, so that they always remain under human control,” said Smith.
The concerns raised to OpenAI’s board about the Q* project were just one of several issues leading to Altman’s brief dismissal. These included apprehensions about commercializing new advancements without fully understanding their risks. However, when questioned about the link between this discovery and Altman’s ousting, Smith clarified that it wasn’t primarily related to such concerns, indicating other underlying reasons for the disagreement between the board and other parties.
Featured image: Brad Smith. Credit: Microsoft
