We need law to control AI growth
Congress is set to consider legislation for placing controls on unregulated growth of AI. Proponents want to ’push the pedal to the metal’ to continue aggressive development, ensuring the U.S., not China, remains AI’s global leader. Others want to slam on the brakes and establish guardrails amid fears about the risk to humanity’s future being raised by several leaders of the industry.
Before debates begin, everyone should take a breath and watch Stanley Kubrick’s masterpiece 1968 film, “2001: A Space Odyssey.”
Here’s the film’s storyline: HAL is a sentient AI onboard computer controlling systems of the Discovery One spacecraft on its mission to Jupiter. Deep into the journey, it goes rogue and attempts to take command of the ship, offing resisting crew members along the way. Fortunately, one astronaut, Dr. David Bowman, is able to circumvent HAL’s mutiny and disable its “brain,” saving the mission
Back here on Earth, the president dismisses using the brakes to slow AI growth, calling dangers of unregulated development another hoax. But it’s in everyone’s interest to heed the admonitions of AI’s leading developers and advocate for guardrails.
Nothing less than the future of humanity is at stake.