Rishi Sunak says “we can’t be certain” about the risks of AI

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has said “we can’t be certain” about the risks of AI but there is a possibility they could be on a similar scale to pandemics and nuclear war.

However, speaking as he arrived at the UK’s tech summit in Bletchley, he said it is important not to be “alarmist” because the debate is ongoing.

Asked whether a Terminator-style rise of the machines is possible, he said: “People developing this technology themselves have raised the risk that AI may pose and it’s important to not be alarmist about this. There’s debate about this topic. People in the industry themselves don’t agree and we can’t be certain.

“But there is a case to believe that it may pose a risk on a scale like pandemics and nuclear war, and that’s why, as leaders, we have a responsibility to act to take the steps to protect people, and that’s exactly what we’re doing.”

Published: 02/11/2023 by Radio NewsHub