Al Mayadeen English

  • Ar
  • Es
  • x
Al Mayadeen English

Slogan

  • News
    • Politics
    • Economy
    • Sports
    • Arts&Culture
    • Health
    • Miscellaneous
    • Technology
    • Environment
  • Articles
    • Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Blog
    • Features
  • Videos
    • NewsFeed
    • Video Features
    • Explainers
    • TV
    • Digital Series
  • Infographs
  • In Pictures
  • • LIVE
News
  • Politics
  • Economy
  • Sports
  • Arts&Culture
  • Health
  • Miscellaneous
  • Technology
  • Environment
Articles
  • Opinion
  • Analysis
  • Blog
  • Features
Videos
  • NewsFeed
  • Video Features
  • Explainers
  • TV
  • Digital Series
Infographs
In Pictures
  • Africa
  • Asia
  • Asia-Pacific
  • Europe
  • Latin America
  • MENA
  • Palestine
  • US & Canada
BREAKING
Indian Kashmir police: Five people were killed in the Indian Jammu region in attacks launched by Pakistan this morning.
Pakistani media: Pakistani spy planes arrive in New Delhi.
United States of America: US State Department: Secretary Rubio offered America's assistance in initiating constructive talks aimed at avoiding future conflicts.
United States: US State Department: Rubio continued to urge Pakistan and India to find ways to de-escalate tensions.
United States of America: US State Department: Secretary Marco Rubio spoke with the Pakistani Army Chief of Staff today.
Pakistan Army: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif convenes National Command Authority meeting.
Powerful explosions in several India-administered Kashmir areas: AP
Al Mayadeen's correspondent in Pakistan citing Pakistani sources: The Pakistani army targeted more than 20 Indian military sites.
Indian air operations are currently underway in Pakistan: Reuters citing an Indian military source.
Pakistani Army announces targeting of Pathankot and Udhampur airbases in India.

Human extinction by AI ‘not that concerning… at least for now': Expert

  • By Al Mayadeen English
  • Source: Agencies
  • 4 Jun 2023 08:23
  • 1 Shares
3 Min Read

While rebuffing concerns about AI’s existential threats, expert Gary Marcus believes that society should focus on genuine risks.

  • x
  • The Engineered Arts Ameca humanoid robot with artificial intelligence is demonstrated during the consumer electronics show in 2023 in US. (AFP)
    The Engineered Arts Ameca humanoid robot with artificial intelligence demonstrated during the consumer electronics show in 2023 in the US (AFP)

Following the launch of the language model ChatGPT in November, which is now widely adopted by millions and has rapidly advanced beyond predictions by top experts in the industry, expert Gary Marcus has warned against artificial intelligence's ultra-fast development and adoption.

The New York University emeritus professor said as quoted by AFP that the technology's existential threats may currently be "overblown."

"I'm not personally that concerned about extinction risk, at least for now, because the scenarios are not that concrete," said Marcus in San Francisco.

"A more general problem that I am worried about... is that we're building AI systems that we don't have very good control over and I think that poses a lot of risks, (but) maybe not literally existential," he added.

In March, Marcus, Elon Musk, Steve Wozniak, Andrew Yang, and more than 1,000 artificial intelligence experts, researchers, and backers joined a call for an immediate pause on the creation of “giant” AIs for at least six months.

Around 1,124 people had signed the open letter, which points to OpenAI's GPT-4 as a red flag. The company brags that the most recent model is more precise, human-like, and capable of analyzing and responding to images. Even a mock bar exam was passed by it.

However, Marcus did not sign the more concise declaration issued last week by corporate leaders and specialists, including OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, which caused a stir.

'An escalation that winds up in nuclear war'

Related News

US will pay the price for Trump’s universities attacks: The Times

US must not offshore its AI to Gulf states: FP

Global leaders should be exerting strained efforts to reduce "the risk of extinction" from artificial intelligence technology, the signatories insisted.

"If you really think there's existential risk, why are you working on this at all? That's a pretty fair question to ask," Marcus questioned.

Instead of focusing on more improbable situations in which no one survives, Marcus believes that society should focus on genuine risks.

"People might try to manipulate the markets by using AI to cause all kinds of mayhem and then we might, for example, blame the Russians and say, 'look what they've done to our country' when the Russians actually weren't involved," he continued.

"You (could) have this escalation that winds up in nuclear war or something like that. So I think there are scenarios where it was pretty serious. Extinction? I don't know," he added.

Democracy in danger

The psychology expert is concerned about democracy in the short run.

Generative AI software produces increasingly persuasive fake photographs, and soon videos, at little cost.

As a result, "elections are going to be won by people who are better at spreading disinformation, and those people may change the rules and make it really difficult to have democracy proceed."

Moreover, "democracy is premised on having reasonable information and making good decisions. If nobody knows what to believe, then how do you even proceed with democracy?"

He also believes that "there's going to be some harm along the way and we really need to up our game, we have to figure out serious regulation." 

"The last several months have been a real reminder that the big companies calling the shots here are not necessarily interested in the rest of us," he warned.

  • AI
  • Gary Marcus
  • Artificial Intelligence
  • AI’s existential threats

Most Read

Pro-Palestinian protesters march toward the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) headquarters, Saturday, April 5, 2025, in Washington (AP)

US House to vote on bill criminalizing boycott of 'Israel'

  • Politics
  • 3 May 2025
Throughout Operation Prosperity Guardian, current and former US military and intelligence officials expressed disquiet at the enormous “cost offset” involved in battling Ansar Allah. (Al Mayadeen English; Illustrated by Zeinab El-Hajj)

Ansar Allah triumphant: US facing Red Sea defeat again

  • Opinion
  • 3 May 2025
Trump cut off contact with Netanyahu, senior Israeli official says

Trump cut off contact with Netanyahu: Israeli media

  • US & Canada
  • 9 May 2025
Pakistan downs an Indian jet and hits a military base in Kashmir escalation.

Pakistan downs 3 Indian jets, hits military base in Kashmir escalation

  • Politics
  • 7 May 2025

Coverage

All
Gaza prevails against genocide

Read Next

All
Bodies of some of the victims of an Israeli army strike on a restaurant, which killed at least 29 people, are transported from the scene to a hospital in Gaza City, May 7, 2025.(AP)
Politics

Israeli strikes massacre multiple families in Gaza, including infants

US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff, listening to French President Emmanuel Macron prior to a meeting at the Elysee Palace in Paris, Thursday, April 17, 2025. (Ludovic Marin, Pool Photo via AP)
Politics

Witkoff says JCPOA deal off the table, but broader Iran talks possible

screengrab
Politics

28th YAF ballistic missile sparks panic, mass sirens across Palestine

Newly elected Pope Leo XIV concelebrates Mass with the College of Cardinals inside the Sistine Chapel at the Vatican the day after his election as 267th pontiff of the Roman Catholic Church, Friday, May 9, 2025 (AP)
Politics

New pope criticized JD Vance and Trump before becoming Pope

Al Mayadeen English

Al Mayadeen is an Arab Independent Media Satellite Channel.

All Rights Reserved

  • x
  • Privacy Policy
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Authors
Android
iOS