Brad Smith, the president of Big Tech firm Microsoft, has called on governments to \u201cmove faster\u201d and corporations \u201cstep up\u201d amid a massive acceleration in artificial intelligence development.<\/p>\n
Speaking at a May 25 panel in front of United States lawmakers in Washington D.C., Smith made the call as he proposed regulations that could mitigate the potential risks of AI, according to a report from The New York Times. <\/p>\n
The company has called for companies to implement \u201csafety brakes\u201d for AI systems that control critical infrastructure and to develop a broader legal and regulatory framework for AI, among other things.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Smith is yet another industry heavyweight to raise the alarm over the rapid development of AI technology. The breakneck pace of advancements in AI has already given rise to a number of harmful developments, including threats to privacy, job losses by way of automation, and extremely convincing \u201cdeep fake\u201d videos that routinely spread scams and disinformation across social media. <\/p>\n
The Microsoft executive said that governments shouldn\u2019t bear the full brunt of action and that companies also need to work to mitigate the risks of unfettered AI development.<\/p>\n
Smith\u2019s comments come even though Microsoft has been working on AI as well, reportedly developing a series of new specialized chips that would help power OpenAI\u2019s viral chatbot, ChatGPT. <\/p>\n
Still, Smith argued that Microsoft wasn\u2019t trying to palm off responsibility, as it pledged to carry out its own AI-related safeguarding regardless of whether the government compelled it, stating: <\/p>\n
\u201cThere is not an iota of abdication of responsibility.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
On May 16, OpenAI founder and CEO Sam Altman testified before Congress, where he advocated for the establishment of a federal oversight agency that would grant licenses to AI companies. <\/p>\n
Notably, Smith endorsed Altman\u2019s idea of handing out licenses to developers, saying that \u201chigh risk\u201d AI services and development should only be undertaken in licensed AI data centers. <\/p>\n