UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has spoken today on the global responsibility to confront the risks highlighted in the report and harness AI’s potential. Sunak emphasised the need for honest dialogue about the dual nature of AI: offering unprecedented opportunities, while also posing significant dangers.

“AI will bring new knowledge, new opportunities for economic growth, new advances in human capability, and the chance to solve problems we once thought beyond us. But it also brings new dangers and new fears,” said Sunak.

“So, the responsible thing for me to do is to address those fears head-on, giving you the peace of mind that we will keep you safe while making sure you and your children have all the opportunities for a better future that AI can bring.

“Doing the right thing, not the easy thing, means being honest with people about the risks from these technologies.”

The report delves into the rapid advancements of frontier AI, drawing on numerous sources. It highlights the diverse perspectives within scientific, expert, and global communities regarding the risks associated with the swift evolution of AI technology. 

The publication comprises three key sections:

1. Capabilities and risks from frontier AI: This section presents a discussion paper advocating further research into AI risk. It delineates the current state of frontier AI capabilities, potential future improvements, and associated risks, including societal harms, misuse, and loss of control.
2. Safety and security risks of generative AI to 2025: Drawing on intelligence assessments, this report outlines the potential global benefits of generative AI while highlighting the increased safety and security risks. It underscores the enhancement of threat actor capabilities and the effectiveness of attacks due to generative AI development.
3. Future risks of frontier AI: Prepared by the Government Office for Science, this report explores uncertainties in frontier AI development, future system risks, and potential scenarios for AI up to 2030.

The report – based on declassified information from intelligence agencies – focuses on generative AI, the technology underpinning popular chatbots and image generation software. It foresees a future where AI might be exploited by terrorists to plan biological or chemical attacks, raising serious concerns about global security.

Sjuul van der Leeuw, CEO of Deployteq, commented: “It is good to see the government take a serious approach, offering a report ahead of the Safety Summit next week however more must be done.

“An ongoing effort to address AI risks is needed and we hope that the summit brings much-needed clarity, allowing businesses and marketers to enjoy the benefits this emerging piece of technology offers, without the worry of backlash.”

The report highlights that generative AI could be utilised to gather knowledge on physical attacks by non-state violent actors, including creating chemical, biological, and radiological weapons.

Although companies are working to implement safeguards, the report emphasises the varying effectiveness of these measures. Obstacles to obtaining the necessary knowledge, raw materials, and equipment for such attacks are decreasing, with AI potentially accelerating this process.

Additionally, the report warns of the likelihood of AI-driven cyber-attacks becoming faster-paced, more effective, and on a larger scale by 2025. AI could aid hackers in mimicking official language, and overcome previous challenges faced in this area.

However, some experts have questioned the UK Government’s approach.

Rashik Parmar MBE, CEO of BCS, The Chartered Institute for IT, said: “Over 1,300 technologists and leaders signed our open letter calling AI a force for good rather than an existential threat to humanity.

“AI won’t grow up like The Terminator. If we take the proper steps, it will be a trusted co-pilot from our earliest school days to our retirement.

The AI Safety Summit will aim to foster healthy discussion around how to address frontier AI risks, encompassing misuse by non-state actors for cyberattacks or bioweapon design and concerns related to AI systems acting autonomously contrary to human intentions. Discussions at the summit will also extend to broader societal impacts, such as election disruption, bias, crime, and online safety.

Claire Trachet, CEO of Trachet, commented: “The fast-growing nature of AI has made it difficult for governments to balance creating effective regulation which safeguards the interest of businesses and consumers without stifling investment opportunities. Even though there are some forms of risk management and different reports coming out now, none of them are true coordinated approaches.

“The UK Government’s commitment to AI safety is commendable, but the criticism surrounding the summit serves as a reminder of the importance of a balanced, constructive, and forward-thinking approach to AI regulation.”

If the UK Government’s report is anything to go by, the need for collaboration around proportionate but rigorous measures to manage the risks posed by AI is more imperative than ever.

The global AI Safety Summit is set to take place at the historic Bletchley Park on 1 – 2 November 2023.

(Image Credit: GOV.UK)

See also: BSI: Closing ‘AI confidence gap’ key to unlocking benefits

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This hurried effort comes in anticipation of the UK’s AI Safety Summit scheduled next month at the historic Bletchley Park.

The summit, designed to provide an update on White House-brokered safety guidelines – as well as facilitate a debate on how national security agencies can scrutinise the most dangerous versions of this technology – faces a potential hurdle. It’s unlikely to generate an agreement on establishing a new international organisation to scrutinise cutting-edge AI, apart from its proposed communique.

The proposed AI Safety Institute, a brainchild of the UK government, aims to enable national security-related scrutiny of frontier AI models. However, this ambition might face disappointment if an international consensus is not reached.

Claire Trachet, tech industry expert and CEO of business advisory Trachet, said:

“I think that this marks a very important moment for the UK, especially in terms of recognising that there are other players across Europe also hoping to catch up with the US in the AI space. It’s therefore essential that the UK continues to balance its drive for innovation with creating effective regulation that will not stifle the country’s growth prospects.

While the UK possesses the potential to be a frontrunner in the global tech race, concerted efforts are needed to strengthen the country’s position. By investing in research, securing supply chains, promoting collaboration, and nurturing local talent, the UK can position itself as a prominent player in shaping the future of AI-driven technologies.”

Currently, the UK stands as a key player in the global tech arena, with its AI market valued at over £16.9 billion and expected to soar to £803.7 billion by 2035, according to the US International Trade.

The British government’s commitment is evident through its £1 billion investment in supercomputing and AI research. Moreover, the introduction of seven new AI principles for regulation – focusing on accountability, access, diversity, choice, flexibility, fair dealing, and transparency – showcases the government’s dedication to fostering a robust AI ecosystem.

Despite these efforts, challenges loom as France emerges as a formidable competitor within Europe.

French billionaire Xavier Niel recently announced a €200 million investment in artificial intelligence, including a research lab and supercomputer, aimed at bolstering Europe’s competitiveness in the global AI race.

Niel’s initiative aligns with President Macron’s commitment, who announced €500 million in new funding at VivaTech to create new AI champions. Furthermore, France plans to attract companies through its own AI summit.

Claire Trachet acknowledges the intensifying competition between the UK and France, stating that while the rivalry adds complexity to the UK’s goals, it can also spur innovation within the industry. However, Trachet emphasises the importance of the UK striking a balance between innovation and effective regulation to sustain its growth prospects.

“In my view, if Europe wants to truly make a meaningful impact, they must leverage their collective resources, foster collaboration, and invest in nurturing a robust ecosystem,” adds Trachet.

“This means combining the strengths of the UK, France and Germany, to possibly create a compelling alternative in the next 10-15 years that disrupts the AI landscape, but again, this would require a heavily strategic vision and collaborative approach.”

(Photo by Nick Kane on Unsplash)

See also: Cyber Security & Cloud Expo: The alarming potential of AI-powered cybercrime

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Hinton, alongside two others, won the Turing Award in 2018 for laying the foundations of AI. He had been working at Google since 2013 but resigned to speak out about the fast pace of AI development and the risks it poses.

In an interview with The New York Times, Hinton warned that the rapid development of generative AI products was “racing towards danger” and that false text, images, and videos created by AI could lead to a situation where average people “would not be able to know what is true anymore.”

Hinton also expressed concerns about the impact of AI on the job market, as machines could eventually replace roles such as paralegals, personal assistants, and translators.

“The idea that this stuff could actually get smarter than people — a few people believed that. But most people thought it was way off. And I thought it was way off. I thought it was 30 to 50 years or even longer away. Obviously, I no longer think that,” said Hinton.

Hinton’s concerns are not unfounded. AI has already been used to create deepfakes, which are videos that manipulate facial and voice expressions to make it appear that someone is saying something they did not say. These deepfakes can be used to spread misinformation or damage a person’s reputation.

Furthermore, AI has the potential to automate many jobs, leading to job losses. This week, IBM CEO Arvind Krishna said that the company plans to use AI to replace around 30 percent of back office jobs—equivalent to around 7,800 jobs.

Hinton is not alone in his concerns. Other experts have also warned about the risks of AI.

Elon Musk, the CEO of Tesla and SpaceX, called AI “our biggest existential threat”. The following year, the legendary astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson said that he shares Musk’s view. In 2018, Stephen Hawking warned that AI could replace humans as the dominant species on Earth.

In March, Musk joined Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak and over 1,000 other experts in signing an open letter calling for a  halt to “out-of-control” AI development.

However, some experts believe that AI can be developed in a way that benefits society. For example, AI can be used to diagnose diseases, detect fraud, and reduce traffic accidents.

To ensure that AI is developed in a responsible and ethical manner, many organisations have developed guidelines, including the IEEE, the EU, and the OECD.

The concerns raised by Hinton about AI are significant and highlight the need for responsible AI development. While AI has the potential to bring many benefits to society, it is crucial that it is developed in a way that minimises its risks and maximises its benefits.

(Image Credit: Eviatar Bach under CC BY-SA 3.0 license. Image cropped from original.)

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The Center for Artificial Intelligence and Digital Policy (CAIDP) claims OpenAI has violated section five of the FTC Act—alleging the company of deceptive and unfair practices.

Marc Rotenberg, Founder and President of the CAIDP, said:

“The FTC has a clear responsibility to investigate and prohibit unfair and deceptive trade practices. We believe that the FTC should look closely at OpenAI and GPT-4.

We are specifically asking the FTC to determine whether the company has complied with the guidance the federal agency has issued.”

The CAIDP claims that OpenAI’s GPT-4 is “biased, deceptive, and a risk to privacy and public safety”.

The think tank cited contents in the GPT-4 System Card that describe the model’s potential to reinforce biases and worldviews, including harmful stereotypes and demeaning associations for certain marginalised groups.

In the aforementioned System Card, OpenAI acknowledges that it “found that the model has the potential to reinforce and reproduce specific biases and worldviews, including harmful stereotypical and demeaning associations for certain marginalized groups.”

Furthermore, the document states: “AI systems will have even greater potential to reinforce entire ideologies, worldviews, truths and untruths, and to cement them or lock them in, foreclosing future contestation, reflection, and improvement.”

Other harmful outcomes that OpenAI says GPT-4 could lead to include:

1. Advice or encouragement for self-harm behaviours
2. Graphic material such as erotic or violent content
3. Harassing, demeaning, and hateful content
4. Content useful for planning attacks or violence
5. Instructions for finding illegal content

The CAIDP claims that OpenAI released GPT-4 to the public without an independent assessment of its risks.

Last week, the FTC told American companies advertising AI products:

“Merely warning your customers about misuse or telling them to make disclosures is hardly sufficient to deter bad actors.

Your deterrence measures should be durable, built-in features and not bug corrections or optional features that third parties can undermine via modification or removal.”

With its filing, the CAIDP calls on the FTC to investigate the products of OpenAI and other operators of powerful AI systems, prevent further commercial releases of GPT-4, and ensure the establishment of necessary guardrails to protect consumers, businesses, and the commercial marketplace.

Merve Hickok, Chair and Research Director of the CAIDP, commented:

“We are at a critical moment in the evolution of AI products.

We recognise the opportunities and we support research. But without the necessary safeguards established to limit bias and deception, there is a serious risk to businesses, consumers, and public safety.

The FTC is uniquely positioned to address this challenge.”

The complaint was filed as Elon Musk, Steve Wozniak, and other AI experts signed a petition to “pause” development on AI systems more powerful than GPT-4.

However, other high-profile figures believe progress shouldn’t be slowed/halted:

Musk was a co-founder of OpenAI, which was originally created as a nonprofit with the mission of ensuring that AI benefits humanity. Musk resigned from OpenAI’s board in 2018 and has publicly questioned the company’s transformation:

Global approaches to AI regulation

As AI systems become more advanced and powerful, concerns over their potential risks and biases have grown. Organisations such as CAIDP, UNESCO, and the Future of Life Institute are pushing for ethical guidelines and regulations to be put in place to protect the public and ensure the responsible development of AI technology.

UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization) has called on countries to implement its “Recommendation on the Ethics of AI” framework.

Earlier today, Italy banned ChatGPT. The country’s data protection authorities said it would be investigated and the system does not have a proper legal basis to be collecting personal information about the people using it.

The wider EU is establishing a strict regulatory environment for AI, in contrast to the UK’s relatively “light-touch” approach.

Tim Wright, Partner and specialist tech and AI regulation lawyer at law firm Fladgate, commented on the UK’s vision:

“The regulatory principles set out in the whitepaper simply confirm the Government’s preferred approach which they say will encourage innovation in the space without imposing an undue burden on businesses developing and adopting AI while encouraging fair and ethical use and protecting individuals.

Time will tell if this sector-by-sector approach has the desired effect. What it does do is put the UK on a completely different approach from the EU, which is pushing through a detailed rulebook backed up by a new liability regime and overseen by a single super AI regulator.”

As always, it’s a balancing act between regulation and innovation. Not enough regulation puts the public at risk while too much risks driving innovation elsewhere.

(Photo by Ben Sweet on Unsplash)

Related: What will AI regulation look like for businesses?

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Some of the highlighted risks includes lethal autonomous systems, tracking individuals, and ‘scoring’ people in society.

On the subject of lethal autonomous systems, the experts warn machines with cognitive skills could “decide whom, when and where to fight without human intervention”.

When it comes to tracking individuals, the experts foresee biometric data of people being involuntarily used such as “lie detection [or] personality assessment through micro expressions”.

Citizen scoring is on some people’s minds after being featured in an episode of dystopian series Black Mirror. The experts note that scoring criteria must be transparent and fair, with scores being challengeable

The guidelines have been several years in the making and have launched alongside a pilot project for testing how they work in practice.

Experts from various fields across Europe sit in the group, including academic lawyers from Birmingham and Oxford universities.

They concluded: “it is important to build AI systems that are worthy of trust, since human beings will only be able to confidently and fully reap its benefits when the technology, including the processes and people behind the technology, are trustworthy.”

The EU as a whole is looking to invest €20bn (£17bn) every year for the next decade to close the current gap between European developments and those in Asia and North America.

Interested in hearing industry leaders discuss subjects like this and their use cases? Attend the co-located AI & Big Data Expo events with upcoming shows in Silicon Valley, London, and Amsterdam to learn more. Co-located with the IoT Tech Expo, Blockchain Expo, and Cyber Security & Cloud Expo.

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