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
-
Ukraine expands its 'Army of drones'
Workshops where drones are built are popping up all over Ukraine at a rapid pace. They are spread across the entire country so that the Russians cannot wipe out all production...
By Samuel Bendett
-
Why the US, Japan and South Korea should take the quantum leap together
Beyond boosting business and driving innovation, quantum may also power the next generation of defense technologies....
By Sam Howell
-
The Key To Winning The Global AI Race
It’s essential to ensure that AI is shared beyond the leading labs to other firms, schools and even the government itself....
By Jordan Schneider & Matthew Mittelsteadt
-
'Tech war' is brewing between U.S. and China, says Palantir's Jacob Helberg
Jacob Helberg, Palantir senior policy advisor and CNAS adjunct fellow, joins 'Squawk Box' to discuss the implications of the 'tech war' between the U.S. and China, the result ...
By Jacob Helberg