SAN FRANCISCO (KCBS RADIO) – As tech industry leaders call for artificial intelligence developers to institute safety protocols, it's unclear what’s next for AI chatbots and other tools.
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Thousands of researchers and entrepreneurs this week signed an open letter calling for a shift in the industry.
The open letter called for AI developers to agree upon shared safety standards for AI tools.
Some are skeptical about the true motivations of those who signed the letter.
"Where's the self-interest here?" Professor Margaret O’Mara, who studies the history of Silicon Valley at the University of Washington, asked.
"Are you trying to save humanity? Or are you here to perhaps slow things down enough so you have time to catch up," said O'Mara.
According to O'Mara, the consensus and the dire tone of the letter is unprecedented.
But others feel differently about the move.
For Professor Eric Gordon with the University of Michigan’s Ross School of Business, it’s unlikely that lawmakers in Congress will act to regulate AI.
"Even if it’s just their usual thing of holding hearings and asking what they think are tough questions," said Gordon. "Whether they will actually do anything – who knows."
As of Friday morning, the letter had more than 2,000 signatures, and include such notable figures as Elon Musk, CEO of SpaceX, Tesla and Twitter and Steve Wozniak, Co-founder of Apple.
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