Tracking the Explosive World of Generative AI

Biden Urges Tech Companies to Prioritize AI Safety Amid Growing Concerns

President Joe Biden recently emphasized the responsibility of tech companies to ensure AI safety during a meeting with science advisors, as concerns mount over unintended consequences, privacy breaches, and the broader implications of rapidly advancing artificial intelligence.

U.S. President Joe Biden attends a meeting with key advisors. Photo credit: AP

🧠 Stay Ahead of the Curve

President Joe Biden addressed AI's potential dangers in a recent meeting, emphasizing tech companies' responsibility to ensure product safety before public release.
Growing concerns about unintended societal consequences are rising as the pace of AI development advances rapidly
Policymakers worldwide continue to grapple with AI's implications; Italy recently banned ChatGPT for privacy regulation concerns, while Canada has launched an investigation into OpenAI's data collection practices.

By Michael Zhang

April 04, 2023

During a recent gathering of the President's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology (PCAST), U.S. President Joe Biden brought the rapidly evolving domain of artificial intelligence (AI) to the forefront of the conversation, making it his primary agenda item.

The President acknowledged the potential hazards of AI, noting that AI “could be” dangerous and pose risks to society, national security, and the economy. As a result, he added, "tech companies have a responsibility, in my view, to make sure their products are safe before making them public."

Biden’s remarks come as organizations like OpenAI face mounting criticism for their accelerated progress, which some argue may lead to unintended societal consequences. Europol, the European Union's law enforcement agency, recently released a memo highlighting the potential for swift criminal exploitation of AI-powered chatbots.

Concerns around the rapid pace of AI development have also come from a group of influential business leaders and AI researchers, including Tesla CEO Elon Musk, who have called for a six-month halt in the development of advanced chatbots, such as the increasingly popular ChatGPT from OpenAI.

The implications of AI have piqued the interest of policymakers around the world. Just last week, Italy banned OpenAI's ChatGPT, citing a potential violation of Europe's stringent privacy regulations. Concurrently, Canada's privacy watchdog initiated an investigation into OpenAI for "the collection, use, and disclosure of personal information without consent." Large language models like those developed by OpenAI frequently rely on vast quantities of publicly sourced data for training.