Image credit: Dong Wenjie / Getty Images
April 16, 2019
Killer Apps
The Real Dangers of an AI Arms Race
The nation that leads in the development of artificial intelligence will, Russian President Vladimir Putin proclaimed in 2017, “become the ruler of the world.” That view has become commonplace in global capitals. Already, more than a dozen governments have announced national AI initiatives. In 2017, China set a goal of becoming the global leader in AI by 2030. Earlier this year, the White House released the American AI Initiative, and the U.S. Department of Defense rolled out an AI strategy.
But the emerging narrative of an “AI arms race” reflects a mistaken view of the risks from AI—and introduces significant new risks as a result. For each country, the real danger is not that it will fall behind its competitors in AI but that the perception of a race will prompt everyone to rush to deploy unsafe AI systems. In their desire to win, countries risk endangering themselves just as much as their opponents.
AI promises to bring both enormous benefits, in everything from health care to transportation, and huge risks. But those risks aren’t something out of science fiction; there’s no need to fear a robot uprising. The real threat will come from humans.
Read the full article in Foreign Affairs.
More from CNAS
-
AI's Inhuman Advantage
Commentary
AI agents’ victories demonstrate that machines can dramatically outperform humans in command and control, a potential major advantage in war....
By Paul Scharre
-
America Can Win the AI Race
Commentary
If the United States wants to win the AI competition, it must approach Beijing carefully and construct its own initiatives thoughtfully....
By Paul Scharre
-
AI Military Competition: Tactical, Operational, and Strategic Implications
Podcast
Paul Scharre, Vice President and Director of Studies at CNAS, joins ChinaTalk to discuss AI, military, strategy, and US-China geopolitics. Listen to the full episode and more...
By Paul Scharre
-
Artificial Intelligence and Great Power Competition, With Paul Scharre
Podcast
Paul Scharre, the vice president and director of Studies at the Center for a New American Security, sits down with James M. Lindsay to discuss how artificial intelligence is r...
By Paul Scharre
