Topline
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman expressed concern about the European Union’s attempts to regulate artificial intelligence and warned the company may have to pull its services from the region if it is unable to comply with the regulations, a stark change in tone from earlier this month when he called for AI regulation in the U.S. Congress.
Open AI CEO Sam Altman testifies at an oversight hearing by the Senate Judiciary’s Subcommittee on … [+]
Key Facts
Speaking at an event in London on Wednesday, Altman told reporters he was worried about the EU’s proposed AI Act and said his company will “try to comply” if they are passed but is prepared to “cease operating” in the region if they are unable to, the Financial Times reported.
Altman told Reuters he believes the draft of the AI Act “would be over-regulating,” adding that he heard it is going to be pulled back.
Altman is particularly concerned about the designation of apps like OpenAI’s ChatGPT as a “General Purpose AI System” which under the proposed law would see the strictest regulation.
The OpenAI CEO acknowledged disinformation concerns surrounding AI while addressing an audience at University College London, specifically pointing to the tool’s ability to generate false information that is “interactive, personalized [and] persuasive,” and said more work needed to be done on that front.
Despite this Altman said he believes the technology will broadly have a positive impact and help create “way more jobs.”
News Peg
Altman’s concerns about Europe’s regulatory efforts are in stark contrast to his enthusiastic urging of U.S. lawmakers to regulate AI. Altman compared the rapid growth of AI with the invention of the printing press and said his company wants to “work with the government” to prevent the technology from causing harm. Altman even acknowledged AI’s arrival would have an impact on jobs, and the government will have to figure out measures to “mitigate that.” At the University College London event, Altman clarified: “The right answer is probably something between the traditional European-UK approach and the traditional US approach,” Altman said. “I hope we can all get it right together this time.”
Chief Critic
Nicole Gill, the executive director and co-founder of the group Accountable Tech, penned an op-ed for Fast Company last week where she compared Altman to Meta’s founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg writing: “Lawmakers appear poised to trust Altman to self-regulate under the guise of ‘innovation,’ even as the speed of AI is ringing alarm bells for technologists, academics, civil society, and yes, even lawmakers.”
Section Title
OpenAI warns over split with Europe as regulation advances (Financial Times)
OpenAI may leave the EU if regulations bite – CEO (Reuters)
Is OpenAI CEO Sam Altman the new Mark Zuckerberg? (Fast Company)
Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/siladityaray/2023/05/25/chatgpt-could-leave-europe-openai-ceo-warns-days-after-urging-us-congress-for-ai-regulations/