During a Senate panel hearing, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman emphasized the need for government regulation of artificial intelligence (AI). Altman compared the current boom in AI technology to a potential “printing press moment” but highlighted the importance of implementing safeguards.
He expressed concerns about the risks associated with increasingly powerful AI models and stressed that regulatory intervention by governments is critical.
The hearing follows the viral success of OpenAI’s chatbot tool, ChatGPT, which reignited the arms race in AI and raised concerns among lawmakers about its dangers. Senator Richard Blumenthal demonstrated the potential dangers of AI technology by playing a fake recording of his voice made using ChatGPT. He argued that unregulated AI development should not be allowed to proceed, as it could generate false information or manipulate information for harmful purposes.
Altman acknowledged the transformative potential of AI tools developed by various tech companies but also highlighted criticisms raised by industry leaders. These criticisms include concerns about job displacement, the spread of misinformation, and the perpetuation of prejudices. Altman expressed particular concern about the use of AI to manipulate voters and spread misinformation, especially in the wake of the upcoming election.
As a possible solution, Altman suggested that the US government could establish a licensing system for companies working on extremely powerful AI systems. They proposed combining licensing and testing requirements for the development and release of AI models that exceed a certain threshold of capabilities.
Other witnesses at the hearing included Christina Montgomery, IBM’s vice president and chief privacy and trust officer, and Gary Marks, a former professor and critic of AI. Montgomery cautioned against rushing into AI development without adequate consideration of privacy and trust concerns. Both Altman and Montgomery acknowledge that while AI may eliminate some jobs, it may also create new opportunities.
Altman’s comments came as he met with more than 60 House lawmakers, where he demonstrated ChatGPT’s capabilities. During the dinner meeting, participants acknowledged the need for AI regulation. Altman has consistently expressed awareness of AI risks, and he and OpenAI have pledged to approach AI development responsibly. However, there are voices, including Elon Musk, urging greater caution and advocating a temporary halt to training the most powerful AI systems because of the profound societal risks.
The hearing coincided with another Senate committee meeting on the use of AI in government, highlighting the growing importance of AI conversations in Congress. Altman’s engagement with high-level officials, including Vice President Kamala Harris and President Joe Biden, focuses on ethical and responsible AI development at the government level. Altman stressed the need for cautious progress and increased safeguards but suggested that an open letter calling for a halt to AI training may not be the best way to address those concerns.
