A group of twelve European Union legislators has signed an open letter calling for the responsible development of artificial intelligence (AI). The letter, shared on Twitter by EU Parliament member Dragoș Tudorache, asks for a collaborative effort and a universal set of rules for the development, control, and deployment of AI. The legislators have urged the European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and United States President Joe Biden to convene a summit on AI and agree on governing principles for the technology.
The letter acknowledges that recent advances in AI have demonstrated that the speed of technological progress is faster than anticipated, and calls for caution in the development of powerful AI technologies. The legislators emphasize the need for attention and careful consideration in the development of AI and urge companies and countries worldwide to strive for an increased sense of responsibility.
Google CEO joins EU legislators as he cautions about the rapid development of AI
Google CEO Sundar Pichai also expressed caution in a recent interview, stating that society might need time to adapt to the rapid development of AI. He acknowledged the concerns around the implications of AI but also expressed optimism due to the number of people worrying about the technology early in its life cycle.
The European Union has already taken steps to regulate AI with the Artificial Intelligence Act, and the European Data Protection Board has created a task force to examine AI chatbots. The letter from the EU politicians echoes similar concerns raised by over 2,600 tech leaders and researchers who called for a temporary pause on AI development due to risks to society and humanity.
While the EU politicians agree with the core message of the letter from tech leaders and researchers, they have expressed disagreement with some of its more alarmist statements. Tesla CEO Elon Musk, Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak, and other AI CEOs, CTOs, and researchers were among the signatories of the letter published by the Future of Life Institute (FOLI) in March.
Musk has continued to highlight the risks he believes AI could pose, stating that like any other technology, it has the potential to be misused if developed with ill intentions.
