NEWS · COMPANIES · #1058
Google DeepMind researcher Robert O'Callahan quits, calls near-term superintelligence 'inherently irresponsible'
Robert O'Callahan, a technical expert at Google DeepMind in New Zealand who worked on chip-design tools that made AI cheaper and faster, has resigned citing that the current pace of AI development is 'far too high' and calling efforts to reach artificial superintelligence soon 'inherently irresponsible.' He listed risks including cognitive surrender, AI-induced psychosis and loneliness, concentrated power, economic disruption, cybersecurity gaps and lack of accountability, and linked to Eliezer Yudkowsky and Nate Soares' essay 'If Anyone Builds It' without fully endorsing its catastrophic claim.
KEY POINTS
- Robert O'Callahan, a technical expert at Google DeepMind in New Zealand who worked on chip-design tools that made AI cheaper and faster, has resigned citing that the current pace of AI development is 'far too high' and calling efforts to reach artificial superintelligence soon 'inherently irresponsible.' He listed risks including cognitive surrender, AI-induced psychosis and loneliness, concentrated power, economic disruption, cybersecurity gaps and lack of accountability, and linked to Eliezer Yudkowsky and Nate Soares' essay 'If Anyone Builds It' without fully endorsing its catastrophic claim.
- The resignation highlights internal dissent at DeepMind and underscores concern about the ethical implications of accelerating AI and hardware development.
- Another Google Deepmind researcher quits, says building superintelligent AI soon is "inherently irresponsible"
WHY IT MATTERS
The resignation highlights internal dissent at DeepMind and underscores concern about the ethical implications of accelerating AI and hardware development.