AI Weekly Digest - October 30 2023
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AI experts attack ‘utterly reckless’ move to build more powerful systems
Twenty-three AI experts have signed an open letter ahead of next week's Bletchley Park summit saying it is “utterly reckless” to build ever more powerful AI systems before understanding how to make them safe. They warned unchecked advances could "culminate in large-scale loss of life and the biosphere, and the marginalisation or even extinction of humanity".
Sunak addresses AI benefits and possible existential threat
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak set out how he will address the dangers presented by artificial intelligence, while harnessing the technology's benefits. In a speech in London, he said AI brings new opportunities for growth and advances as well as “new dangers”. Sunak will add that the government will seek to “address those fears head-on” to give the public the “peace of mind that we will keep you safe”
Key industry players and policy chiefs set for Bletchley Park event
The CEOs of ChatGPT-maker OpenAI, Google Deepmind and Anthropic, three of the world's biggest AI labs, are also set to play a key role in this week’s Bletchley Park AI summit, alongside policy chiefs from Amazon, Microsoft and Meta. Meta and Microsoft are expected to send their policy chiefs, Sir Nick Clegg and Brad Smith, while Elon Musk’s xAI start-up will also be represented.
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Report: Apple to invest $1bn per year in generative AI
Apple has reportedly earmarked $1bn per year for investment in its generative artificial intelligence products, seeking to integrate the technology into Siri, Messages and Apple Music.
Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai hails AI-driven innovations
After reporting third-quarter revenue up 11% on a year ago at $76.69bn, Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai said: “I’m pleased with our financial results and our product momentum this quarter, with AI-driven innovations across Search, YouTube, Cloud, our Pixel devices and more. We’re continuing to focus on making AI more helpful for everyone; there’s exciting progress and lots more to come.”
Donelan warns against pulling up the drawbridge on AI
Technology secretary Michelle Donelan has warned against "pulling up the drawbridge" on AI, insisting the technology can be put to use "in a safe way". She said: "With the global AI safety summit, we're not just talking about the risks, we're also talking about the opportunities and how we can see them for the benefit of mankind. I want the UK people to use AI with the same confidence and the lack of fear that they do when they book a plane ticket."
Altman hails best tool humanity has yet created
Open AI CEO Sam Altman told the Wall Street Journal’s Tech Live conference he believes artificial general intelligence "will be the best tool humanity has yet created", expressing confidence that current controversies over data licensing will be resolved. He said: "One of the challenges has been different kinds of data-owners have very different pictures. So we’re just experimenting with a lot of things. We’re doing partnerships of different shapes, and we think like with any new field, we’ll find something that sort of just becomes a new standard. Also, as these models get smarter and more capable, we will need less training data. I think the conversation about data, and the shape of all of this, because of the technological progress we’re making, is about to shift."
Intel CFO: New chips on track for 2024 launch
Intel CFO Dave Zinsner said US chip giant’s next generation of data centre generative AI chips, codenamed Emerald Rapids and Sierra Forest, were on track for 2024 launches, telling the FT: “These are products we think have very good competitive position.”