Why the Development of AI Could Be Considered “a Race to the Bottom”

Want to be a business without hearing how artificial intelligence is changing the industry? Good luck; it’s a big deal that this technology has flourished in recent years, and businesses have found all kinds of ways to implement it. While AI has significant capacity for growth and to be an excellent tool to help human society, a lack of AI regulation has led some to believe that it’s only a matter of time before something bad happens that ruins a good thing for everyone.

“A Race to the Bottom”

A noteworthy AI researcher by the name of Max Tegmark, an MIT physics professor, issues some remarks to The Guardian on the use of AI:

“We’re witnessing a race to the bottom that must be stopped. We urgently need AI safety standards, so that this transforms into a race to the top. AI promises many incredible benefits, but the reckless and unchecked development of increasingly powerful systems, with no oversight, puts our economy, our society, and our lives at risk. Regulation is critical to safe innovation, so that a handful of AI corporations don’t jeopardize our shared future.”

He believes that if powerful technology lacks the oversight to keep it in check, it could spiral out of control and negatively impact society. At the moment, AI mimics human responses to queries, and it can do so because of the data that fuels these systems. Advanced AI, on the other hand, uses Artificial General Intelligence, which can bypass this dependence on human intelligence and efficiency.

AGI is considered reckless at this time–at least until these systems have been scaled back to be good for humanity as a whole.

Science Fiction Fuels the Problem

The fact that many science fiction stories involve rogue AI elements doesn’t help matters.

Most of these stories serve as cautionary tales for what happens when the intelligence of technology surpasses its creators, and they’ve been written since long before the actual implementation of AI. They also tend to lead to the destruction of humanity. It’s incredible to think that this technology has grown so fast that even respected academics think it might be prudent to slow down a bit.

This same mindset is not necessarily shared by the big developers of AI, though.

Microsoft, Google, Meta, Amazon, and other major tech companies have invested billions of dollars into AI over the next five years. Naturally, this will result in more powerful products that bring them returns on their investment. It’s not a stretch to worry about what this AI development means for the future of humanity.

So the question has to be asked: will the race for more powerful tech be “a race to the bottom” after all?

AI Regulations Could Reign In the Technology

So the academics and the industrialists are at odds; what a surprise.

But there is much support for the regulation of such systems, as evidenced by a 2022 White House paper titled A Blueprint for an AI Bill of Rights. This document takes a closer look at what AI regulations could look like with an aim to start a conversation about the potential repercussions for inaction. Furthermore, it was written by government officials in collaboration with The Office of Science and Technology Policy, academics, and human rights organizations.

The document also contains input from Microsoft and Google–major players in the development of AI.

Other national entities have included their own ideas about regulation, including some who already have regulations in place, such as Japan, Singapore, and the European Union. Outside of Colorado, however, no U.S. state has implemented any mandates that could be considered controversial. Still, it’s worth considering the impact that regulations would have on the development and growth of AI, both now and in the future.

If you are interested in technology like AI, be sure to stop back to our blog soon for more on this topic.