Google AI Chief Urges Fast Action to Tame AI Risks and Boost Safety

At the AI Impact Summit in Delhi, Sir Demis Hassabis, the head of Google DeepMind, spoke with BBC News about the urgent need for more research into the risks of artificial intelligence, or AI. He emphasized that the industry is looking for smart regulations to address the real dangers that AI could bring. Many technology leaders and politicians at the Summit agreed that there should be more global cooperation and rules for AI. They are expected to release a joint statement about this at the end of the event. However, the United States has a different opinion. Michael Kratsios, a technology adviser from the White House, said that AI should not be controlled by too many rules or by a central group. He believes that too much control could stop AI from making the world better.

Sir Demis explained that it is important to create strong safety measures to protect people from the most serious threats that AI could cause. He mentioned two main risks. The first risk is that AI could be used by people with bad intentions. The second risk is that as AI becomes more advanced, humans might lose control over these systems. When asked if he could slow down the progress of AI to give experts more time to address these challenges, Sir Demis said that his company plays an important role, but it is only one part of the larger AI community. He admitted that it is difficult for regulators to keep up with the fast pace of AI development.

Other leaders at the Summit, such as Sam Altman from OpenAI, also called for urgent regulations for AI. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that countries need to work together to make sure AI benefits everyone. Despite these calls, the US still does not support global rules for AI. Sir Demis, who won the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 2024, said that the US and Western countries are currently ahead of China in AI, but China could catch up soon. He feels a responsibility to balance being bold and responsible when using AI. He also said that learning about science, technology, engineering, and math is still very important. In the next ten years, AI will become a powerful tool for creating new things, and having a technical background will be helpful. The AI Impact Summit is the largest meeting of world leaders and technology experts to discuss AI, and it will end with a shared plan for how to manage AI in the future.