Expert comment: AI's climate action moment

It has been a week with lots of speculation about the future of AI and the threat is poses to humanity. Here Chair of Science Communication & Future Media at the University of Salford, Professor Andy Miah, gives his take on where we are with AI and says global action is needed.

Professor Miah said: "This is AI's climate action moment. The world needs to step back and recognise that, without global, coordinated action across education, business and government, we lose control of a technology that can be as catastrophic for humanity as climate change. This doesn't mean that the machines will take over humanity. Realistically, it will be indirect threats that dictate the primary risks, where the creation of an AI weapon by humans, will cause the most damage.

"Technology has always run out of control, but it's the unexpected consequences that are always the hardest to spot.

"I think the existential risk claims are a combination of marketing and real threat. We need to take the risk seriously, but these risks are often overstated. I'm not worried about the existential threat, but I am worried about who is controlling the technology and what oversight the public have on any of that.

"We need to be cautious when AI leaders tell us to pause. We don't have clear data on how developers feel about what they are doing, but it's no surprise to me that those in the middle of it feel more concerned than others, as they see its potential unfold. The big challenge is when we talk about one nation leading. We need to work together on AI regulation, just like we have on climate change. We know how hard that is to get right and doing so will dominate conversations over the next 20 years.

"And we also need to work out how the reign in the tech companies but also make sure they are distant from power. As we saw with Elon Musk, it can be dangerous tech billionaires get too close to power - and they are always close to power.

"There also needs to be a growth in AI literacy, make sure we have those public discussions. People need to have a good understanding on how its transforming behaviour in order to hold politics and politicians to account."

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