AI experts reveal how the world could collapse under the control of smart technology
Experts in artificial intelligence left podcaster Joe Rogan stunned as they spoke about how quickly the technology is evolving.
The UFC commentator invited AI experts Jeremie and Eduoard Harris - the CEO and CTO, respectively, of Gladstone AI - onto his popular The Joe Rogan Show.
Gladstone AI is dedicated to promoting the responsible development and adoption of artificial intelligence.
Rogan got into his concerns about the emerging technology with his guests right off the bat, asking: 'If there's a doomsday clock for AI... what time is it?'
Jeremie said 'there's disagreement' among experts in the field, but concluded that AI 'could hit human-level... capabilities across the board' by 2027 or 2028.
He quipped: 'You'll be able to have AI on your show and ask it what the doomsday clock is like by then.'
But Rogan lamented that the AI probably would not laugh at his jokes.
Jeremie explained that a lab called METR recently conducted a study that showed how quickly AI models are improving.
In that study, researchers gave the models a realistic task to carry out and compared the times of completion between AI and humans.
They found that the technology completed tasks that would take humans less than four minutes with a nearly 100 per cent success rate and a 50 per cent success rate for tasks that take humans an hour to complete.
Eduoard then noted that the rate is increasing almost every four months, especially for tasks involving research and software engineering.
By 2027, they concluded, the kind of work an AI researcher does in a month could be done by the AI itself with a 50 per cent success rate.
At that point, Eduoard joked that Rogan could have an AI system as a guest and ask it itself what a doomsday clock looks like.
The interview comes after Demis Hassabis, the CEO of DeepMind at Google, shared his belief that scientists are on track to create Artificial General Intelligence (AGI) within the next five to ten years.
AGI refers to artificial intelligence with software that rivals the cognitive ability of a human.
It's a hypothetical stage of AI advancement as, currently, the technology can only pull from existing content and doesn't have the curiosity or imagination to create new concepts like humans do.
However, Hassabis believes that AGI is on track to become 'embedded' in our daily lives by 2035.
He also said that today's technology hasn't yet achieved 'consciousness' and revealed that it's a possibility that AI bots may eventually develop self-awareness.
When that does happen, though, Hassabis said it may be difficult for humans to recognize.
He said: 'With machines - they're running on silicon, so even if they exhibit the same behaviors, and even if they say the same things, it doesn't necessarily mean that this sensation of consciousness that we have is the same thing they will have.'
If the AI models continue to progress, Hassabis said it could be the end of human diseases and the climate crisis, he told Time Magazine in a separate interview.
He said: 'I think some of the biggest problems that face us today as a society, whether that's climate or disease, will be helped by AI solutions.
'I'd be very worried about society today if I didn't know that something as transformative as AI was coming down the line.'
At the same time though, Hassabis acknowledged that AI could cause destruction - especially if international cooperation isn't achieved.
He argued that the AI models need to be tested for dangerous capabilities, and legal guardrails need to be implemented to prevent the technology from falling into the wrong hands.
He noted that it is 'extremely difficult' to monitor AI advancement to prevent systems from acting autonomously.
Other AI experts have offered a more pessimistic perspective on the future. Microsoft founder Bill Gates expressed his concerns in a recent interview with Jimmy Fallon.
He said: 'I love the way it'll drive innovation forward, but I think it's a little bit unknown if we'll be able to shape it. And so, legitimately, people are like "wow, this is a bit scary." It's completely new territory.'
Elsewhere, computer scientist Geoffrey Hinton has predicted that AI will wipe out the human race.
Hinton is known as the 'Godfather of AI' for his work creating the foundations for machine learning.
He was a recipient of the Nobel Prize in Physics, but recently resigned from his job at Google out of concern that AI advancement was going in a dangerous direction.
'The situation we're in now is that most of the experts in the field think that sometime, within probably the next 20 years, we're going to develop AIs that are smarter than people,' Hinton revealed in an interview with the BBC.
'And that's a very scary thought,' he added.
Hinton also said that whether AI helps or hurts society in the future is dependent on how the government regulates it.
He said: 'We need regulations to stop people using it for bad things, and we don't appear to have those kinds of political systems in place at present.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Powys County Times
an hour ago
- Powys County Times
Investments in UK tech sector will create hundreds of jobs, says Government
Hundreds of jobs are set to be created across the UK as part of a raft of investments in the technology sector, the Government has announced. It comes as Science and Technology Secretary Peter Kyle told an audience at London Tech Week that the UK must be at 'the cutting edge' of rapidly growing technologies, such as AI. The technology sector is a key area of the Government's efforts to accelerate growth in the UK economy, in a bid to support efforts to increase spending. On Tuesday, a number of 'significant investments' in the sector were announced in areas including AI and fintech, which will see some companies setting up in the UK for the first time. Liquidity, a US-based AI fintech business, revealed it will launch its European headquarters in London as part of a plan to invest an additional £1.5 billion over the next five years. Meanwhile, Capgemini said it will expand UK operations with a new London headquarters. Netcompany, a Danish IT consultancy, will also invest £2 million to expand its Leeds office and is launching a new site in Edinburgh, which will ultimately create 150 jobs. Other investments include InnovX AI, a major European start-up hub, investing £14.7 million in a new London technology site, creating 30 jobs. Mr Kyle said: 'We have all seen over the last few years, just how rapidly and profoundly technologies like AI are transforming the economy, and our society. 'Britain can – and must – be at the cutting edge of this change. 'The era of hesitancy is over: we can be the masters of our fate, and through the measures I am announcing today, we will harness the vast potential of our trillion-pound tech sector to help remake our country for the better.' The Government said on Tuesday that it was opening its Science and Technology Venture Capital Fellowship for a second cohort and round of applications, to increase the capacity of the UK financial sector to invest in start-up businesses in the sector. Business and Trade Secretary Jonathan Reynolds said: 'Securing valuable high-tech investment is an integral mission of this government and seeing global investors put billions in the UK economy shows the plan for change is working, with more and more companies choosing Britain. 'With tech being identified as a key growth sector in our upcoming modern industrial strategy, we're not only helping attract and secure investment, but delivering long-term, stable growth that supports skilled jobs and raises living standards across the UK.'
Powys County Times
an hour ago
- Powys County Times
Pupils could gain more face-to-face time with teachers under AI plans
Pupils could benefit from more face-to-face time with their teachers under the Government's plans for artificial intelligence (AI) use in schools. The Department for Education (DfE) has launched guidance for schools and colleges in England on how teachers can use generative AI safely. It suggests AI can cut down administrative tasks – such as generating letters, reports and planning lessons – to give teachers more time to work with pupils. But the guidance also calls on teachers to always check outputs generated by AI for 'accuracy' and it insists that personal data should be protected. School leaders' unions have welcomed the resources but they said further investment is needed to unlock the potential benefits of AI in education. The support materials suggest that generative AI could be used to help teachers with formative assessments – such as generating quizzes and 'offering feedback on errors' – as well as generating 'exam-style questions'. Generative AI tools can also help staff with administrative tasks such as composing emails and letters, policy writing and planning trips, it added. One section of the guidance demonstrates how AI could be used to generate a letter to parents and carers about a head lice outbreak at the school. It said: 'Strategic implementation of AI can cut down administrative tasks for leaders, teachers and support staff, particularly in areas such as data analysis, lesson planning, report generation and correspondence. 'This could allow educators more time to work directly with students and pupils and help to reduce workload if implemented well.' But educators should only use AI tools 'approved' in their setting, it added. AI should also only be used by teachers for formative, low-stakes marking – such as classroom quizzes or homework, the DfE has said. Paul Whiteman, general secretary at school leaders' union NAHT, said: 'These resources are a welcome source of support for education staff. 'AI has huge potential benefits for schools and children's learning but it is important that these are harnessed in the right way and any pitfalls avoided. 'Government investment in future testing and research is vital as staff need reliable sources of evaluation – supported with evidence – on the benefits, limitations and risks of AI tools and their potential uses.' Pepe Di'Iasio, general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL), said: 'The great potential of AI is in easing staff workloads which are driven by system-wide pressures and are a major cause of recruitment and retention challenges. 'If we can get this right it will improve working conditions and help address teacher shortages. 'However, there are some big issues which need to be resolved and paramount is ensuring that all schools and colleges have the technology and training they need. 'Budgets are extremely tight because of the huge financial pressures on the education sector and realising the potential benefits of AI requires investment.' The DfE has said it is investing an extra £1 million in funding to accelerate the development of AI tools to help with marking and generating detailed, tailored feedback for individual students. Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson said: 'We're putting cutting-edge AI tools into the hands of our brilliant teachers to enhance how our children learn and develop – freeing teachers from paperwork so they can focus on what parents and pupils need most: inspiring teaching and personalised support.'
Leader Live
an hour ago
- Leader Live
Pupils could gain more face-to-face time with teachers under AI plans
The Department for Education (DfE) has launched guidance for schools and colleges in England on how teachers can use generative AI safely. It suggests AI can cut down administrative tasks – such as generating letters, reports and planning lessons – to give teachers more time to work with pupils. But the guidance also calls on teachers to always check outputs generated by AI for 'accuracy' and it insists that personal data should be protected. School leaders' unions have welcomed the resources but they said further investment is needed to unlock the potential benefits of AI in education. The support materials suggest that generative AI could be used to help teachers with formative assessments – such as generating quizzes and 'offering feedback on errors' – as well as generating 'exam-style questions'. Generative AI tools can also help staff with administrative tasks such as composing emails and letters, policy writing and planning trips, it added. One section of the guidance demonstrates how AI could be used to generate a letter to parents and carers about a head lice outbreak at the school. It said: 'Strategic implementation of AI can cut down administrative tasks for leaders, teachers and support staff, particularly in areas such as data analysis, lesson planning, report generation and correspondence. 'This could allow educators more time to work directly with students and pupils and help to reduce workload if implemented well.' But educators should only use AI tools 'approved' in their setting, it added. AI should also only be used by teachers for formative, low-stakes marking – such as classroom quizzes or homework, the DfE has said. Paul Whiteman, general secretary at school leaders' union NAHT, said: 'These resources are a welcome source of support for education staff. 'AI has huge potential benefits for schools and children's learning but it is important that these are harnessed in the right way and any pitfalls avoided. 'Government investment in future testing and research is vital as staff need reliable sources of evaluation – supported with evidence – on the benefits, limitations and risks of AI tools and their potential uses.' Pepe Di'Iasio, general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL), said: 'The great potential of AI is in easing staff workloads which are driven by system-wide pressures and are a major cause of recruitment and retention challenges. 'If we can get this right it will improve working conditions and help address teacher shortages. 'However, there are some big issues which need to be resolved and paramount is ensuring that all schools and colleges have the technology and training they need. 'Budgets are extremely tight because of the huge financial pressures on the education sector and realising the potential benefits of AI requires investment.' The DfE has said it is investing an extra £1 million in funding to accelerate the development of AI tools to help with marking and generating detailed, tailored feedback for individual students. Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson said: 'We're putting cutting-edge AI tools into the hands of our brilliant teachers to enhance how our children learn and develop – freeing teachers from paperwork so they can focus on what parents and pupils need most: inspiring teaching and personalised support.' She added: 'By harnessing AI's power to cut workloads, we're revolutionising classrooms and driving high standards everywhere – breaking down barriers to opportunity so every child can achieve and thrive.'
