Elon Musk Is Glad People Are 'Taking AI Seriously,' Warns of a 'Magic Genie Problem' "AI will be a force for good most likely," Musk said. "But the probability of it going bad is not zero percent."
By Madeline Garfinkle •
Key Takeaways
- Elon Musk said AI is one of the most "disruptive forces in history" at the inaugural AI Safety Summit on Thursday.
- Tesla's CEO compared it to a "magic genie" that can grant all wishes.
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Elon Musk hasn't been shy about his opinions on AI — he's one of thousands of tech magnates and industry executives who signed an open letter in March calling for a six-month pause on AI development, warning of the "profound risks to society and humanity."
However, no such pause happened. Now, Musk's outlook appears to be more optimistic.
During a conversation with British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak at the UK's inaugural AI Safety Summit on Thursday, Elon Musk emphasized the immense impact of artificial intelligence, labeling it as one of the "most disruptive forces in history," CNN reported.
During the conversation, Musk said that he is "glad to see" that people are "taking AI seriously" and delved into predictions about the technology, many of which he admitted are "fairly utopian," such as envisioning a future where AI allows for an "age of abundance" with "no shortage of goods and services."
Also, no jobs.
"You can have a job if you wanted to have a job for personal satisfaction," Musk said, per CNBC. "But the AI would be able to do everything."
Still, he didn't ignore AI's potential for harm, which has also been orbiting the AI conversation across the globe. In May, the nonprofit Center for AI Safety issued a statement that AI should be a global priority alongside other risks of scale "such as pandemics and nuclear war." Last week, the White House issued an executive order outlining crucial regulations and rules regarding AI, aiming to set standards for safety, security, and privacy as it pertains to the technology.
"AI will be a force for good most likely," Musk said. "But the probability of it going bad is not zero percent."
Related: Elon Musk Is Reportedly Recruiting a Team to Build a Less 'Woke' ChatGPT Rival
Musk also compared AI's potential to a "magic genie problem."
"Where if you have a magic genie that can grant all the wishes, usually those stories don't end well," the tech CEO said. "One of the challenges in the future will be how do we find meaning in life if you have a magic genie that can do everything you want."
