Artificial Intelligence (AI) has been a hot topic for years, with many predicting it will fundamentally change the way we live our lives. OpenAI, a research company founded in 2015, is at the forefront of AI development, with their latest creation, Chat GPT, capturing the world's imagination. OpenAI's CEO, Sam Altman, and CTO, Greg Brockman, recently sat down to discuss the opportunities and risks of AI in society.
Altman believes Chat GPT has captured people's imagination because it rewards experimentation and creativity. People are having fun with it, and they see its potential to help them learn, create, and perform various tasks. When asked what changes he sees AI bringing to society in the next 1-10 years, Altman believes it will be the collective power and creativity of humanity that will determine how AI is used. However, he acknowledges the potential for both good and bad outcomes and the need to be cautious.
Brockman agrees that the general nature of AI makes it hard to predict its capabilities and limitations. The danger is that someone could guide the technology to negative outcomes. To mitigate this, OpenAI makes the technology available in very constrained ways initially, allowing them to learn what the negative outcomes could be. By intervening at the pre-training stage, OpenAI makes the models more likely to refuse direction or guidance that could be harmful.
One concern Altman has is the potential for large-scale disinformation and offensive cyber attacks. However, he believes that society needs time to adapt to AI, and putting these systems out now, while the stakes are low, will allow us to learn as much as possible to avoid the more dangerous scenarios.
When asked whether machines or humans are easier to predict, Brockman believes machines are easier to predict because there is a scientific process to them that we understand. However, as machines become more human-like, the decisions we make will dictate what they do.
As AI becomes more capable, decisions about how to deploy it become more nuanced, and it becomes essential to consider the negative consequences. However, Altman believes the potential for good is enormous, and OpenAI is working to ensure that AI is deployed responsibly.
In conclusion, OpenAI's CEO and CTO believe that AI has the potential to bring significant benefits to society. However, it is essential to be cautious and consider the potential negative consequences. By intervening at the pre-training stage and working to make AI more aligned with people's values and beliefs, OpenAI is working to ensure that AI is deployed responsibly.