OpenAI CEO Who Created ChatGPT Appears at US Hearing for the First Time: "Regulation Needed"

"I believe this technology can go very wrong if mishandled. I want to work with the government to ensure that does not happen."

Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI, the developer of the conversational AI ChatGPT, appeared before the U.S. Congress on the 16th (local time) and acknowledged concerns about the potential misuse of AI technology, stating that regulatory intervention is necessary.

[Image source=AP Yonhap News]

At a hearing held by the Senate Judiciary Committee’s subcommittee on strengthening oversight of AI, Altman said, "OpenAI was founded with the belief that AI will improve nearly every aspect of our lives, but at the same time, serious risks exist." The hearing took place amid the so-called ChatGPT craze, where hopes and concerns about the future impact of AI technology intersected. This was the first time the U.S. Congress held a hearing on AI and the first time Altman appeared before Congress.

During the session, Altman faced a barrage of questions about the possibility of AI manipulating public opinion ahead of the 2024 presidential election. He acknowledged, "With the presidential election coming up next year and considering that (AI) models are continuously improving, the ability to provide one-on-one conversational misinformation is one of the significant concerns."

He also emphasized, "So far, I believe the benefits of the tools we have deployed far outweigh the risks, but ensuring safety is extremely important," adding, "New frameworks are needed for new technologies."

Specifically, Altman proposed establishing a government-level agency that would issue licenses for developing and deploying AI models. He explained, "It is very important to set up a system regarding accountability," and added, "We can establish a new agency with licensing authority for activities above a certain scale and create evaluation criteria for risk factors." He cited the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) as a precedent for this approach.

Referring to the advent of Photoshop, Altman said, "For a while, people were deceived by Photoshop images, but soon they understood that images could be created by Photoshop," adding, "This could be similar." Gary Marcus, a professor at New York University who also appeared as a panelist, suggested, "There is a need to establish a separate department-level agency in the U.S. to address AI issues."

Attending lawmakers, regardless of party affiliation, voiced shared concerns about the potential risks surrounding AI and the need for appropriate regulation. Richard Blumenthal, a Democrat and subcommittee chairman, pointed out, "AI is hopeful but also harbors potential harms such as weaponization of information, promotion of inequality, and voice replication fraud." Democratic Representative Chris Coons also expressed concern that "AI can spread misinformation and influence public opinion and election outcomes." He mentioned the failure of Congress to regulate social media and argued that countries like China could misuse AI to undermine democratic values.

Republican Representative Josh Hawley emphasized, "We are witnessing one of the most important technological innovations in human history," and stressed, "We need to consider how to control this technology for the freedom of the United States and its people."

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