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A group of prominent figures, including experts in artificial intelligence and technology, has called for an end to efforts to create “superintelligence,” a type of AI that can surpass humans at essentially every cognitive task.
More than 850 people, including technology leaders like Virgin Group founder Richard Branson apple Co-founder Steve Wozniak signed a statement released Wednesday calling for a moratorium on superintelligence development.
At the top of the list of signatories were prominent AI pioneers, including computer scientists Joshua Bengio and Jeff Hinton, widely considered the “godfathers” of modern AI. Top AI researchers like Stuart Russell of the University of California, Berkeley, have also signed on.
Superintelligence has become a buzzword in the AI world, as companies from Elon Musk’s xAI to Sam Altman’s OpenAI race to release ever more advanced large-scale language models. It is worth noting that Meta has gone so far as to name its LLM division the “Meta Superintelligence Lab.”
However, the signatories of a recent statement warned that the possibility of superintelligence “raises concerns ranging from human economic obsolescence and disempowerment, loss of freedom, civil liberties, dignity, and control, to national security risks and even the possibility of human extinction.”
He called for a ban on the development of superintelligence until there is strong public support and widespread scientific consensus that superintelligence can be safely built and brought under control.
In addition to AI and tech officials, the names behind the statement came from a broad coalition ranging from academics, media personalities, religious leaders, and a bipartisan group of former U.S. politicians and bureaucrats.
Among the retired senior officials were former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Mike Mullen and former National Security Adviser Susan Rice.
Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump’s powerful media allies Steve Bannon and Glenn Beck also featured prominently on the list.
Other notable signatories include Prince Harry of the British royal family and his wife Meghan Markle. As of Wednesday, the list was still growing.
