AI Expert advises that The Risks Are So Bad Don't Have Children
Artificial Intelligence

AI Expert advises that ‘The Risks Are So Bad Don’t Have Children’

Mandi D 8 June 2023

Former Google X executive Mo Gawdat has issued a stern warning about the burgeoning realm of artificial intelligence (AI), even suggesting that prospective parents hold off on having children due to the technological storm that is brewing.

During an interview with Steven Bartlett on the Diary of a CEO podcast, Gawdat, an AI expert who has worked at the vanguard of technology, stated, “The risks are so bad, in fact, that when considering all the other threats to humanity, you should hold off from having kids if you are yet to become a parent.”

Tech Executives Echo Concerns Over AI Advancements

Gawdat is not alone in his caution. Earlier this year, tech industry leaders, including SpaceX CEO Elon Musk and Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak, signed an open letter imploring developers to pause further innovations for six months. They argued this break would allow the industry and consumers to comprehend and adapt to recent technological advances.

The Centre for AI Safety, an organization dedicated to managing the potential risks of AI, also highlighted the gravity of the situation, stating: “Mitigating the risk of extinction from AI should be a global priority alongside other societal-scale risks such as pandemics and nuclear war.” In a similar vein, Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI, warned of an existential risk.

Comparisons to Dystopian Narratives

Gawdat painted a bleak picture of the future, likening our potential reality to the dystopian setting depicted in movies like Blade Runner. “There has never been such a perfect storm in the history of humanity,” he said, referring to the confluence of economic, geopolitical, environmental, and AI-related threats. “The depth of uncertainty… it has never been more intense. If you really loved your kids, would you really want to expose them to all this?”

The Role of AI in Defining Our World

Now serving as the chief AI officer at Flight Story, a marketing agency led by Bartlett, Gawdat continues to grapple with the implications of AI. “Artificial intelligence is the culmination of technological advancement and it is my view that it will be unprecedented in defining the way the world is shaped,” he stated.

Gawdat also acknowledged the current sophistication of digital intelligence, which has advanced to the point of becoming autonomous – a phenomenon that requires humanity’s respect rather than control. He asserted, “It’s vital we stay attuned to how to do this, or risk being left behind.”

A Wake-up Call to AI Safety

The concerns expressed by Gawdat and other tech leaders signal a wake-up call for the technology industry and society at large. As AI continues to advance, evolve, and become more autonomous, it’s crucial to understand, address, and mitigate the potential risks it presents to ensure that humanity can harness its benefits without succumbing to its perils.

Supporting References for the Article

  1. Google X Google X, renamed as X, is an American semi-secret research and development facility founded by Google in January 2010. The site offers insights into some of the most ambitious projects helmed by Google, which involved AI and other cutting-edge technology. This is relevant as the base of Mo Gawdat’s experience in AI.
  2. The Diary of a CEO by Steven Bartlett The Diary of a CEO is a podcast hosted by Steven Bartlett, where he holds discussions with various prominent personalities from the tech world. This resource can be used to provide context to the conversation between Gawdat and Bartlett.
  3. Centre for AI Safety The Centre for AI Safety, housed at the University of Cambridge, is focused on managing the risks of AI. This resource provides insights into the concerns raised by various institutions regarding the potentially damaging effects of unchecked AI.
  4. OpenAI OpenAI, led by Sam Altman, is an AI research lab that aims to ensure artificial general intelligence (AGI) benefits all of humanity. Altman’s warning of existential risk from AI is particularly relevant in the context of this article.