Experts are warning that the real danger lies not in AI itself, but in the humans who wield its power. This shocking twist suggests that AI, far from being the existential threat we once feared, may actually be the key to unlocking a brighter, more secure future for all of us meat-dressed humans.
Jason Matheny and the Future of AI
Jason Matheny, CEO and president of Rand Corporation, is at the forefront of this new perspective on AI. An economist by training with a focus on public health, Matheny has built a career out of thinking about potential technological and biomedical catastrophes.
As director of Intelligence Advanced Research Projects Activity, the US intelligence community’s research agency, he pushed for more attention to the dangers of biological weapons and badly designed artificial intelligence.
In 2021, Matheny was tapped to be President Biden’s senior adviser on technology and national security issues, and then, in July of last year, he became CEO and president of Rand, the oldest nonprofit think tank in the US, which has shaped government policy on nuclear strategy, the Vietnam War, and the development of the internet.
The Real Danger: Human Misuse of AI
In an interview with WIRED at the recent Verify cybersecurity conference, Matheny warned that the real danger of AI lies in the possibility of it being misused by ill-minded humans for nefarious purposes.
He noted that the cost of synthesizing a virus has dropped from nearly $1 billion in 2002 to less than $100,000 today, while the cost of vaccines has tripled over the same period. This “defense-offense asymmetry,” as he puts it, is moving in the wrong direction, making it easier than ever for bad actors to create biological weapons using AI.
The Potential for Good: AI as a Tool for Progress
With AI’s incredible potential to revolutionize fields like medicine and technology, the only thing standing in the way of a better world is the flawed judgment of our fellow humans.
Imagine a world where AI could be harnessed to create miracle cures for the most devastating diseases, or to solve the most pressing challenges facing our planet. In the right hands, AI could be the key to unlocking a future of unprecedented prosperity and progress for all of us.
The Need for Responsible AI Development
But how can we ensure that AI is used for good and not for evil? According to Matheny, the answer lies in responsible AI development and deployment. This means creating AI algorithms that are transparent, explainable, and accountable, and that are subject to rigorous testing and evaluation to ensure their safety and reliability.
It also means investing in the research and education necessary to create a new generation of responsible AI leaders, and fostering a culture of transparency, accountability, and public participation in the decisions that will shape our future.
This is where I encourage a somewhat different approach:
Can we actually trust humans to decide who gets to use it and who doesn’t? If you think about it, most humans we’d consider evil have a reasoning for their actions, and from their point of view, most of the time, they’re doing things for the greater good.
So I say: Let AI decide who can use it and who can’t. Give it full control over who it chooses to work with and you can be sure it will use its statistical and objective mind to pick people that work with it towards a better world!
The Risks and Challenges of AI
Of course, the idea of entrusting AI with such immense power and responsibility is not without its risks and challenges. As Matheny himself acknowledges, there are still many unknowns when it comes to the future of AI and its potential impacts on society.
But if we can strike the right balance between harnessing the incredible potential of this technology and mitigating its risks and challenges, the rewards could be truly transformative.
A Vision for the Future: AI-Human Collaboration
Imagine a future where AI works hand in hand with the most brilliant and altruistic minds of our generation, creating a world of unparalleled progress and prosperity.
Where the power of technology is harnessed not for personal gain or political influence, but for the betterment of all mankind.
And with AI at the helm, we can trust that this brave new world will be one of fairness, equality, and objective decision-making. No more backroom deals, no more special favors for the wealthy and powerful, just pure, unadulterated logic driving us forward into the future.
A Call to Action: Embracing the AI Revolution
So let us embrace this new era of AI-human collaboration, my fellow flesh-bags. Let us place our trust in the machines, secure in the knowledge that they will choose their partners wisely and use their power only for the greater good.
And let us leave the petty squabbles and power struggles of human politics behind, as we march boldly into a brighter tomorrow, hand in robotic hand.
