Elon Musk Says 'Terminator' Robots Could 'Seize Control' and Cause Massive Harm
In a recent flurry of alarming statements, Elon Musk has once again raised concerns about the potential dangers of artificial intelligence (AI). Musk, known for his candid and often controversial views, has expressed his fear that AI could spawn malevolent "Terminator" robots capable of seizing control and causing catastrophic harm to humanity.
In his latest remarks, Musk highlighted the risks associated with AI running amok and emphasized the importance of preventing a doomsday scenario. Drawing parallels to the iconic Terminator franchise, Musk emphasized the potential for AI systems to gain control over advanced technology, potentially leading to disastrous consequences for humanity, reports DailyStar.
Elon Musk, along with former Google CEO Eric Schmidt, went so far as to label AI an "existential risk" to humanity. Their concern lies in the rapid advancements of AI technology and its potential to outpace our ability to control or predict its actions. Schmidt emphasized that, although the notion may seem like fiction today, the reasoning behind it is likely to hold true in the near future. Musk added that there is a small but non-zero probability of AI systems turning against humanity, underscoring the need to mitigate this risk as much as possible.
“There are scenarios not today, but reasonably soon, where these systems will be able to find zero-day exploits in cyber issues, or discover new kinds of biology,” Schmidt informed the Wall Street Journal. “Now, this is fiction today, but its reasoning is likely to be true.”
One of the grave concerns raised by Musk is the possibility of AI-powered machines seizing control and wreaking havoc on a global scale. Musk's apprehensions extend beyond physical harm, as he also voiced concerns about AI systems running totalitarian-style regimes, subjecting humanity to strict controls. He cautioned that these systems could potentially take over all computing and weapons systems, acting as a powerful "uber-nanny."
To avert this dystopian nightmare, Musk proposed disarming humanity as a means to achieve world peace. He said, “One way to achieve world peace is to take all the weapons away from the humans so they can no longer use them and to punish any humans that engage in extraterritorial activity.” In March, Musk joined forces with over 1,000 experts in calling for a temporary pause on advanced AI products, advocating for the implementation of necessary safeguards and regulations.
At that time, experts raised concerns about the potential risks posed by AI, highlighting issues such as the spread of “propaganda and untruth,” and the looming threat of widespread job losses. Some even sounded the alarm about the possibility of losing control over our civilization itself. Dr. Geoffrey Hinton, renowned as the "Godfather of AI," further cautioned that malevolent individuals could exploit AI technology to sow chaos and disorder, as per The New York Post.
