Rather than fear a godlike AI, let’s put the tech we invented to good use

‘Godfather of AI’ Geoffrey Hinton has raised the heat on the AI debate amid fears of the emergence of a godlike entity
But the benefits of AI far outweigh the potential risks – as long as we develop protocols and rules to ensure its ethical use

Ken Chu

Published: 1:00am, 15 May 2023

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In the past six months or so, ChatGPT, the chatbot driven by artificial intelligence (AI), has taken the world by storm, so much so that there are calls to restrict its use.

From undergraduates to professionals, many around the world have boasted of how helpful this superintelligent AI chatbot has been, from resolving complex mathematical problems to producing a decent proposal or school essay in under a minute in response to a question or series of statements or inquiries. No wonder it has become so popular.

But is the hype around this generative AI-based chatbot short-lived, as with the metaverse, which has faded into the background after a meteoric rise? Or is the development here to stay, threatening to deliver the final verdict on the victory of AI over mankind?

And if a respected expert sounds the alarm over the risks of AI, should we not take heed?

Earlier this month, Geoffrey Hinton, dubbed the “godfather of AI” for his pioneering work from the 1970s as a graduate student at the University of Edinburgh, announced his resignation from Google in The New York Times. In the statement, he also warned about the immense risks of AI.

Hinton’s move concentrated global attention on the risks and development of AI, into which major tech companies have been pouring tremendous amounts of money – to speed up development and make the tech even smarter and more versatile.

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Hinton worked for decades in pioneering the development of AI and his notable achievements in creating neural network technology laid the foundation for the creation of many powerful AI products, including ChatGPT.

Last March, an open letter was launched, signed by titans in the tech industry such as Elon Musk and Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak, calling for a temporary halt to the development of advanced AI. Amid fears that AI would become a godlike entity, the letter has collected more than 27,000 signatures.

But are these simply knee-jerk reactions to new inventions and technologies, as we have seen in the past?

Since the Industrial Revolution began in the late 18th century, many new inventions and technologies have been greeted with suspicion and fear. When Alexander Graham Bell introduced the telephone in the 1870s, for example, the invention was ridiculed by sceptics as an outright invasion of privacy and initially rejected by telegraph giant Western Union as an “ungainly and impractical device”.

Such reactions are understandable. Humans seem to be born with an inclination to cast suspicion on novel ideas or things.

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AI’s many useful applications have been touted by tech companies, such as in fast data processing, reliable weather forecasting, smart car navigation, personalised e-commerce customer services, self-driving and, more importantly, crime busting and crime prevention.

If the benefits of AI are so clearly documented, why did Hinton decide to draw the world’s attention to its risks? In his view, powerful AI will flood the world with false photos, videos and texts, making it hard for humans to discern what is true. He was also concerned about AI’s threat to jobs and, ultimately, humanity. If his concerns are justified, will mankind one day become obsolete?

To me, science and technology will keep flourishing as long as civilisation continues to grow, because mankind thirsts for knowledge and is drawn to wonder at nature and the cosmos. The advancement of technology is unstoppable.

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Throughout history, jobs have been replaced with new machines and technology even as new occupations were created – similarly, typewriters were displaced by word processors, which were superseded by personal computers.

One day, robots and AI may eliminate the need for laptops and PCs, and new jobs such as robot engineers will be created. The point is that we, the originator of all technology, should not be fearful, insofar as we learn to control and manage new tech to ensure it is not used illegally or unethically.

Rise of ChatGPT and other AI tools: Resistance is futile

AI now underlines much of the technology emerging today, and this will affect the digital economy. Being responsible and prudent should be a guiding principle for the application of AI in our daily lives. We can set guidelines or lay down restrictions on the application of AI tools such as ChatGPT. We can also enact regulations to protect personal data and privacy. For example, some universities already prohibit students from using ChatGPT in their research reports or written assignments.

ChatGPT is but one of the many manifestations of AI. There is industrial AI, medical AI and soon, even national security AI. AI and robot technology will advance because the benefits of using them far outweigh the potential risks. The caveat is that we must develop protocols and rules to ensure none of the tech is used irresponsibly or immorally.

Ken Chu is group chairman and CEO of Mission Hills Group and a national committee member of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference