Latest news with #LászlóPalkovics
Budapest Times
2 days ago
- Politics
- Budapest Times
Government Commissioner Palkovics: Current AI structures unlikely to lead to consciousness
'Humanity does not accidentally create adversaries—we build tools to help us,' the government commissioner said. László Palkovics, Government Commissioner for Artificial Intelligence, stated that artificial intelligence in its current form is unlikely to become self-aware. Speaking on the latest episode of the Bold Truth About Hungary podcast hosted by State Secretary Zoltán Kovács, he emphasized that conscious AI would require deliberate intent. 'Why would humanity want to create an enemy? We already have enough,' he said. Palkovics argued that concerns over conscious AI are better suited for philosophical discussion than scientific debate. 'These are interesting fears, good for conversations—but mostly with philosophers or theologians, not mathematicians or engineers,' he added. Discussing the foundations of AI development, he outlined four critical factors: access to data, computational power, a suitable legal and financial environment, and intent paired with talent. 'Hungary possesses all four,' he said, pointing to structured national data sets in agriculture, forestry, wildlife management, and healthcare, as well as the Central Statistical Office's archives. He noted that Hungary already operates several smaller supercomputers, including the Komondor system in Debrecen, and announced plans for a procurement process to acquire a 20-petaflop machine named Levente. The country's energy mix, he added, supports the operational demands of such systems, including their need for continuous and increasingly renewable energy. Addressing calls for Hungarian-made, Hungarian-language AI models, Palkovics acknowledged their limitations compared to global systems but stressed their utility in domain-specific applications. 'The value lies in the data we train them on—and we have a lot of usable, well-structured data,' he said. He also defended Hungary's Digital Citizenship Program, rejecting fears of surveillance. 'It is a service that simplifies and improves state operations while making citizens' lives more convenient,' he stated. Reflecting on his previous cabinet role, Palkovics concluded that the government now recognizes the untapped potential of existing national data for policy preparation and public service modernization.
Budapest Times
04-06-2025
- Business
- Budapest Times
Palkovics: Hungary's National Laboratory for Artificial Intelligence is among country's top research institutions
László Palkovics, the government commissioner for artificial intelligence (AI), said Hungary's National Laboratory for Artificial Intelligence (MILAB) is among the country's top research institutions. Speaking at the SZTAKI (Computer and Automation Research Institute) in Budapest on Monday, Palkovics said MILAB is tightly linked to the Artificial Intelligence Coalition established by companies, universities, and scientific workshops in 2018, adding that it collaborates with other national laboratories that make use of AI. In a few weeks, the AI labs will have access to a dashboard showing who is doing what in the field of AI in Hungary, he said, adding that Hungary was at the forefront in this area. Hungarian research institutes, Palkovics noted, have been involved in artificial intelligence since the 1970s and 1980s, which is why Hungary is well-positioned in AI research and development. In 2020, Hungary was the fourth country in Europe, after Finland, Sweden, and the United Kingdom, to develop an AI strategy at the government level. A revision of the strategy will be completed soon, he added. Laszlo Bodis, deputy state secretary for innovation, said AI was not just a technological innovation but also carried the potential for economic and social breakthroughs. MILAB, he added, is bringing together ten partners, and they are identifying how to harness AI for the benefit of the economy.
