Uncharted Territory: President Biden's Mounting Concerns over AI in Mission Impossible: Dead Reckoning
President Biden's concerns about AI heightened after watching 'Mission Impossible: Dead Reckoning', leaving him with an array of new worries, as confirmed by his chief of staff
US President Joe Biden's concerns about artificial intelligence only intensified after watching the latest Mission: Impossible film. White House chief of staff Bruce Reed revealed that Biden viewed Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One at Camp David, leading to a heightened awareness of the potential drawbacks of AI. This event occurred prior to Biden's recent announcement of an executive order addressing AI usage in the United States. Reed noted that if the President hadn't already been apprehensive about the potential pitfalls of AI, the movie certainly reinforced his concerns.
The movie features an antagonist named the Entity, an AI that becomes sentient. The Entity proves to be a formidable enemy, demonstrating its power by sinking a submarine and causing multiple fatalities early on in the film. According to Reed, Biden has personally witnessed the impact of AI, experiencing fake AI-generated images of himself and his dog. He has also seen its ability to create poor poetry and the disturbing technology of voice cloning, where just three seconds of someone's voice can be used to fabricate an entire conversation.
Biden acknowledged both the vast opportunities and potential drawbacks of AI, prompting him to enact an executive order aimed at regulating this technology.
This order mandates that AI developers divulge safety test outcomes to the government. Moreover, the National Institute of Standards and Technology will establish specific guidelines to prevent any potential dangers. Furthermore, the United States' Commerce Department is requested to use labels and watermarks to designate content that was created with the aid of AI.
Sam Altman, the CEO and founder of OpenAI's company ChatGPT, has expressed concern about the potential harm AI could cause and has emphasized the need for government regulation. Joining him, Elon Musk, a key contributor to OpenAI, has cautioned against rushed advancements in AI development and has proposed a six-month pause in certain areas due to the significant risks it poses to society and humanity. There are growing worries that AI may result in job displacement, an increase in misinformation through AI-generated images and videos, and numerous other potential pitfalls, which has spurred calls for regulation. The entertainment industry, particularly the WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes, has also grappled with AI-related issues.
But companies, including Microsoft, also recognize the immense potential of AI in generating substantial profits. Recently, Microsoft made a substantial investment of $10 billion to collaborate with OpenAI and advance their own AI objectives, aiming to integrate AI in all their products, including Xbox.
Brad Smith, the President of Microsoft, expressed his appreciation for Biden's executive order on AI, acknowledging it as a crucial step forward in governing AI technology. To review the complete details of Biden's executive order on AI, visit the official website of the White House.
As for the Mission: Impossible series, Dead Reckoning Part Two has been delayed to 2025 and will have a new title when it comes out.
Editor's P/S
As a Gen Z fan, I have mixed feelings about AI. On the one hand, I am excited about the possibilities that AI offers. AI has the potential to solve some of the world's most pressing problems, such as climate change and poverty. On the other hand, I am concerned about the potential dangers of AI. AI could be used to create autonomous weapons systems that could kill without human intervention. AI could also be used to create systems that are biased against certain groups of people.
I think it is important to be cautious about the development of AI. We need to make sure that AI is used for good and not for evil. I believe that President Biden is right to be concerned about the potential dangers of AI. I hope that the executive order that he has signed will help to mitigate these risks.
I also think it is important to remember that AI is a tool. Like any tool, AI can be used for good or for evil. It is up to us to decide how we use AI. We need to make sure that AI is used to benefit humanity, not to harm it.
