During his speech at the United Nations General Assembly on Tuesday, September 24th, President Biden issued a stern warning to world leaders about the profound risks presented by the development of artificial intelligence (AI).
“I believe that in the next two to ten years, we will see more technological changes than in the past fifty years… AI will change our way of life, our way of work, and our way of war,” Biden stated.
Biden cautioned that the use of AI could lead to “serious risks, from deepfake technology to misinformation, and to novel pathogens and biological weapons.”
He emphasized that governments around the world have a responsibility to prepare their citizens for the future.
Biden’s warning comes at a time of heightened international tensions, with conflicts raging in Eastern Europe and the Middle East, and the Indo-Pacific region facing the risk of erupting into war.
Furthermore, authoritarian regimes such as China, Iran, North Korea, and Russia are all seeking to exploit AI technology to engage in disruptive activities targeting the United States and its allies in cyberspace.
For example, Chinese hackers have used AI to impersonate American voters, spreading misinformation through semi-automated social media networks aimed at increasing division and hostility within the United States.
Foreign interference in elections is just one of the dangers posed by artificial intelligence.
Armed forces around the world are deploying this technology on an unprecedented scale. Both the United States and China are seeking to integrate AI, automation, and robotics into their military forces.
The US military leadership envisions building a predominantly robot-led army in the next decade. Meanwhile, China has already begun deploying fully automated and unmanned ships, some of which have the capability to launch unmanned aircraft.
The US government has been working to establish a robust policy framework to manage the development of AI, but some lawmakers have expressed disappointment that hearings and briefings with tech industry leaders have not yielded significant progress in the legislative arena.
Domestically, there is a widespread belief that AI is decimating white-collar jobs on an unprecedented scale.
Last year, Sam Altman, CEO of the AI research company OpenAI, warned Congress that AI could disrupt social stability and ultimately result in the displacement of many existing jobs.
Senator Marco Rubio of Florida also cited classified security briefings indicating that the loss of a large number of white-collar positions could lead to social unrest and instability.
Despite these challenges, Biden acknowledged that the current threats posed by AI may only be the “tip of the iceberg” in terms of future dangers, and that “nothing is certain yet.”
He stressed the need for countries to take action to address the immense disruptions that AI could cause to global society and economy, ensuring the security, reliability, and trustworthiness of AI while upholding the core principles that human life is valuable and everyone deserves dignity.
Biden stated, “As artificial intelligence becomes ever more powerful, it… must become increasingly aligned with our collective needs and values.”
“We must ensure that the remarkable capabilities of AI are used to enhance and empower ordinary people, rather than enabling dictators to further shackle the human spirit.”