During a Senate panel hearing titled “Oversight of A.I.: Rules for Artificial Intelligence,” OpenAI CEO Sam Altman stressed the importance of government regulation for artificial intelligence (AI). Drawing parallels to the printing press revolution, Altman highlighted the need for safeguards in the current boom of AI technology.
Altman expressed concerns about the risks associated with increasingly powerful AI models and emphasized the crucial role of regulatory intervention by governments. The hearing was triggered by the widespread success of OpenAI’s chatbot tool, ChatGPT, which reignited an AI arms race and raised concerns among lawmakers regarding its potential risks.
Senator Richard Blumenthal exemplified the dangers of AI technology by playing a fabricated recording of his own voice, created using ChatGPT. He argued that unregulated AI development should not proceed, as it could facilitate the spread of misinformation and manipulate information for malicious purposes.
Altman acknowledged the transformative potential of AI tools developed by tech companies but also highlighted criticisms from industry leaders. These concerns encompass job displacement, the proliferation of misinformation, and the perpetuation of biases. Altman particularly expressed apprehension about the exploitation of AI to manipulate voters and disseminate disinformation, especially during upcoming elections.
As a potential solution, Altman proposed the establishment of a licensing regime by the US government for companies working on highly powerful AI systems. He suggested combining licensing and testing requirements for the development and release of AI models that exceed a certain threshold of capabilities.
The hearing featured other witnesses, including Christina Montgomery, IBM’s vice president and chief privacy and trust officer, and Gary Marcus, a former professor, and AI critic. Montgomery cautioned against hasty AI development without sufficient consideration for privacy and trust concerns. Both Altman and Montgomery recognized that while AI might eliminate some jobs, it could also create new opportunities.
Altman’s remarks followed a meeting with over 60 House lawmakers, where he showcased the capabilities of ChatGPT. Participants acknowledged the necessity of AI regulation during the dinner meeting. Altman and OpenAI have consistently demonstrated their awareness of AI risks and pledged to approach AI development responsibly. However, voices like Elon Musk advocate for even greater caution, suggesting a temporary halt to training the most powerful AI systems due to profound societal risks.
This hearing coincided with another Senate committee session on AI use in government, highlighting the growing prominence of AI-related discussions in Congress. Altman’s engagement with high-level officials, including Vice President Kamala Harris and President Joe Biden, underscores the governmental focus on ethical and responsible AI development. Altman emphasized the need for careful progress and increased safety measures but expressed reservations about the efficacy of the open letter calling for a halt to AI training as the optimal approach to address these concerns.
