Google's Parent Draws Fire as Former DeepMind Researcher Warns AI Could Wipe Out Humanity
Alphabet Inc., Google's parent company, is being drawn into a growing debate over how quickly to develop advanced AI. Former DeepMind researcher Bilal Chughtai has expressed concerns that AI could potentially cause human extinction and believes time may be running short to prevent this outcome.
Chughtai left DeepMind in July after working on AI safety and alignment. He is not alone in his worries, as Anthropic researcher Jacob Coxon recently resigned over similar concerns. Additionally, Evan Hubinger, an Anthropic scientist, estimates there's a greater than 10% chance that AI could kill all humans within the next decade.
The warnings from researchers are causing tension within the AI industry, with some calling for slowing down the pace of advanced AI development. Alphabet investors may not see immediate changes to Google's AI business, but if more researchers sound alarms, the debate could shift towards regulation and impact how quickly companies like Google can develop their most advanced models.