UK minister Louise Haigh urges heeding warnings from AI developers

First Secretary of State Louise Haigh is set to address the mounting anxiety surrounding artificial intelligence safety during her speech at the TUC congress on Tuesday. She is expected to announce that the government stands ready to collaborate with international partners to prioritize public safety and national security.

Anxiety regarding the potential hazards of AI has intensified in recent days, following warnings from executives, current staff, and former employees that the technology could pose a threat to humanity. Speaking later at the congress, Haigh is also slated to acknowledge the positive aspects, noting that AI holds tremendous potential to transform public services, strengthen businesses, and drive new scientific breakthroughs.

Photo by Stem List / Unsplash

This development unfolds as members of parliament in the UK seek new legislation governing AI, prompted by a report revealing that the technology has been tied to numerous human rights abuses. Labour MP and committee chair Alex Sobel stated that no jurisdiction globally, including the UK, currently possesses a legislative and regulatory framework for AI that is fit for purpose.

Amid these discussions, Anthropic researcher Evan Hubinger made headlines by stating he believes there is over a 10% chance that AI could destroy all humans within the next decade. Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei subsequently called for a deceleration in the development pace of models like Claude or ChatGPT, advocating for strict oversight, a stance backed by OpenAI's Sam Altman and Elon Musk.

"Blocking access to models in the UK would not prevent them being developed or misused elsewhere"

UK Cabinet Office spokesperson

Furthermore, an AI kill switch has been proposed by Anthropic co-founder Jack Clark as a safeguard to shut down dangerous software. While Clark noted that most labs possess internal unplugging mechanisms, he suggested lawmakers might need to mandate them. Nevertheless, the UK government has dismissed the kill switch proposal, with the Cabinet Office stating that the country cannot simply switch off AI.

Meanwhile, across the Atlantic, US President Donald Trump dismissed the notion of AI taking over the world. Writing on social media, Trump declared that fears of AI destroying humanity are a hoax, while actively championing the benefits of AI and the nation's ambition to win the global AI race.

Source: BBC Politics