Harry, Meghan join global call to ban AI 'superintelligence'
What's the story
Prince Harry and his wife Meghan Markle have joined a diverse group of public figures, including computer scientists, economists, artists, and conservative commentators Steve Bannon and Glenn Beck, in calling for a ban on artificial intelligence (AI) "superintelligence." The letter, released on Wednesday, targets tech giants like Google, OpenAI, and Meta Platforms that are competing to create an AI capable of outperforming humans in various tasks.
Statement
Letter's preamble highlights potential dangers of superintelligence
The 30-word statement reads, "We call for a prohibition on the development of superintelligence, not lifted before there is broad scientific consensus that it will be done safely and controllably, and strong public buy-in." The letter's preamble acknowledges that while AI tools can enhance health and prosperity, many leading AI companies aim to build superintelligence in the next decade. This has raised concerns about "human economic obsolescence...losses of freedom, civil liberties, dignity, and control...national security risks, and potential human extinction."
Personal insights
Harry believes AI's future should serve humanity, not replace it
In a personal note, Prince Harry emphasized that "the future of AI should serve humanity, not replace it." He added, "I believe the true test of progress will be not how fast we move but how wisely we steer. There is no second chance." Markle also signed the letter. Another signatory, Stuart Russell, an AI pioneer and computer science professor at UC Berkeley, clarified that this isn't a ban but a proposal for adequate safety measures for potentially dangerous technology.
Signatory diversity
Other notable signatories and their backgrounds
The letter was organized by the nonprofit Future of Life Institute, aiming to appeal to a wide range of political views. Among the signatories are AI pioneers Yoshua Bengio and Geoffrey Hinton, co-winners of the Turing Award; Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak; British billionaire Richard Branson; former US Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Mike Mullen; Democratic foreign policy expert Susan Rice; former Irish President Mary Robinson; British and European parliamentarians; actors Stephen Fry and Joseph Gordon-Levitt; and musician will.i.am.
Ongoing debates
Similar letter signed, circulated in 2023; had no result
The letter is likely to ignite ongoing debates among the AI research community about the feasibility of superhuman AI, its technical paths, and potential dangers. Max Tegmark, president of the Future of Life Institute and MIT professor, said this criticism has gone mainstream. Per AP, Tegmark's group also organized a similar letter in 2023, when commercial AI boom was yet to happen, that urged tech giants to halt the development of more powerful AI models temporarily. No one agreed, though.