ChatGPT Creator Says AI A Mere Tool; Critic Disputes It's More Than That

If the burgeoning artificial intelligence industry has a spokesman, then it is Sam Altman, the CEO of OpenAI and creator of ChatGPT.

Photo Insert: The obvious risks that artificial intelligence poses to workers in a variety of industries, including those whose jobs had previously been seen as safe from automation were acknowledged during the hearing.

On Tuesday (Wednesday, May 17, 2023, in Manila) Altman testified before the Senate Judiciary Committee in what turned out to be a wide-ranging, big-picture conversation about the future of AI, Alexander Nazaryan reported for Yahoo News.

Integrating artificial intelligence into American society presents a major test for lawmakers to show the high technology sector that it cannot escape the scrutiny to which other industries have long been accustomed.

Testifying alongside Altman were IBM’s Christina Montgomery, chair of the company’s AI ethics board, and Gary Marcus, a critic of artificial intelligence who teaches at New York University.

In his opening remarks, which were partially generated by artificial intelligence, Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., acknowledged Congress’s struggle to impose meaningful regulations on social media.

“Congress failed to meet the moment on social media,” he said. “Now we have an obligation to do it on AI before the threats and risks become real.”

IBM’s Montgomery acknowledged the obvious risks that artificial intelligence poses to workers in a variety of industries, including those whose jobs had previously been seen as safe from automation.

“Some jobs will transition away,” she said. Altman offered a different take. “I think it’s important to understand and think about GPT4 as a tool, not a creature,” he said.

Such models, he said, were “good at doing tasks, not jobs” and would therefore make work easier for people, without replacing them altogether.

Marcus, the NYU professor, revealed himself as the panel’s lone AI skeptic, arguing that “humanity has taken a back seat” as corporations race to develop ever more sophisticated AI models with too little regard for the potential dangers.

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