Is Elon Musk really that fearful of artificial intelligence, or is he just trolling? Based on a recent Q&A where Musk ended up referring to AI as a demon, we're not quite sure.
The Tesla and SpaceX CEO frequently has some choice words for AI, often comparing it to what you might have seen in your favorite sci-fi or action film. And his latest thoughts are no exception.
"With artificial intelligence, we are summoning the demon. You know all those stories where there's the guy with the pentagram and the holy water and he's like... yeah, he's sure he can control the demon—it doesn't work out," said Musk, speaking at the MIT Aeronautics and Astronautics Department's 2014 Centennial Symposium last week (video below).
"I'm increasingly inclined to think there should be some regulatory oversight, maybe at the national and international level just to make sure that we don't do something very foolish," he later added.
These are just the latest thoughts on AI from Musk, who broached the topic at the recent Vanity Fair New Establishment Summit.
"I don't think anyone realizes how quickly artificial intelligence is advancing. Particularly if [the machine is] involved in recursive self-improvement...and its utility function is something that's detrimental to humanity, then it will have a very bad effect."
That's not so bad. At least, not compared to comments from a June interview with CNBC where Musk compared artificial intelligence to The Terminator movie.
"There are some scary outcomes. And we should try to make sure the outcomes are good, not bad," he added.
The potential for a "dangerous outcome" from the use of artificial intelligence is partially why Musk keeps an eye on the space. Not only has he invested in the artificial intelligence startup DeepMind (which was acquired by Google early this year for somewhere north of $500 million), but he also tries to do a bit of light reading, too.
"Worth reading Superintelligence by Bostrom. We need to be super careful with AI. Potentially more dangerous than nukes," Musk tweeted in August.
For more, check out 3 Things Elon Musk Fears (and 3 Things He Tackles Head-On).
Get Our Best Stories!
Sign up for What's New Now to get our top stories delivered to your inbox every morning.
This newsletter may contain advertising, deals, or affiliate links. Subscribing to a newsletter indicates your consent to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You may unsubscribe from the newsletters at any time.
Thanks for signing up!
Your subscription has been confirmed. Keep an eye on your inbox!
Sign up for other newsletters
