Scientists’ open letter: “Pause AI development”

In an open letter, thousands of scientists, professors and other professionals say it’s time to pause certain developments in AI. Elon Musk is one of the signatories as well as some Swedish scientists.

“Powerful AI systems should be developed only when we are confident that their effects will be positive,” the letter argues.

The development of artificial intelligence has progressed in recent years, but now even AI researchers are beginning to realize that it is moving too fast. In an open letter initiated by the Future of Life Institute, more than 50 000 people have signed an open letter calling for a pause in certain AI experiments.

“AI systems with human, competitive intelligence can pose significant risks to society,” the letter says.

Specifically, it talks about AI systems that are more powerful than GPT-4 and that it is precisely these experiments that should be put on hold for at least six months. During that time, it is proposed to jointly focus on developing and implementing safety protocols for advanced AI, which should also be overseen by independent experts.

One of the risks being considered is whether it is really a good thing that, for example, machines take over most jobs, but the question is also whether we should really develop non-human brains that can outnumber us and eventually replace us.

Should we develop nonhuman minds that might eventually outnumber, outsmart, obsolete and replace us? Should we risk loss of control of our civilization? Such decisions must not be delegated to unelected tech leaders. Powerful AI systems should be developed only once we are confident that their effects will be positive and their risks will be manageable“, the letter says (their emphasis).

The signatories include over 1800 executives and more than 1500 professors, along with thousands of other professionals. Elon Musk is one of the AI researchers who signed the letter, along with Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak and Skype co-founder Jaan Tallinn. Numerous professors and researchers from Harvard, MIT, Princeton, Lund University, the KTH Royal Institute of Technology and Uppsala University have also signed.