"AI, Clearly Used by Villains" MS Economist Emphasizes Need for Regulation

Amid growing concerns over the misuse and abuse of artificial intelligence (AI) triggered by ChatGPT, Michael Schwarz, Senior Economist at Microsoft (MS), emphasized the importance of implementing proper safety measures for any technology, noting that while AI misuse is expected, even cars may not always be safe.

Michael Shwartz, Senior Economist at Microsoft (MS) (Photo by Michael Shwartz's SNS)

According to sources such as Fortune, Schwarz participated in a panel discussion held by the World Economic Forum (WEF) on the 3rd (local time) and stated, "I am quite confident that AI will definitely be used by bad actors. This will certainly create real risks."

Schwarz said, "Criminals who send spam or individuals attempting to manipulate elections could cause significant harm," adding, "Like other technologies, we need to be very concerned about the safety of this technology (AI)."

However, Schwarz cited cars as an example, pointing out that while they help people get to where they want, they also cause problems such as accidents and air pollution. He added, "I hope AI will never be as deadly as internal combustion engine vehicles." This means that all technologies have the potential to be misused and cause actual harm, but it is important to regulate them appropriately.

Schwarz emphasized that if regulations are introduced, "the principle should be that the social benefits outweigh the costs." He also said that MS is focusing on utilizing AI to play a positive role in society and is working on developing AI technology to improve efficiency so that people can achieve greater results.

Regarding growing concerns that AI will significantly reduce jobs, Schwarz stressed that people tend to have a 'paranoid' reaction to tasks that can be replaced by AI and advised not to worry too much.

Since the release of ChatGPT in November last year and the AI boom this year, calls for establishing regulations related to AI have been increasing. In March, Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla, and AI industry experts signed an open letter issued by the US nonprofit Future of Life Institute calling for a six-month pause on AI research. Geoffrey Hinton, a professor at the University of Toronto known as the 'Godfather of AI,' recently left Google, where he had worked for the past decade, declaring his intention to raise awareness about the risks of AI technology, which is another reason for these concerns.

As the need for regulation has emerged, the Biden administration is also actively moving. On this day, the White House held a meeting chaired by Vice President Kamala Harris, where CEOs from AI companies accelerating development, including MS, Google, and OpenAI, along with government officials, discussed key AI-related issues. According to foreign media reports, President Biden’s invitation letter released the day before included the statement, "Companies like yours must ensure safety before releasing products to the public."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.