Google’s top artificial intelligence (AI) expert appeared to criticize Tesla CEO Elon Musk Tuesday during a technology conference in California.
While speaking at TechCrunch Disrupt in San Francisco, Google search chief John Giannandrea described fears over ethical concerns regarding to advanced intelligence as little more than “unwarranted hype.”
John Giannandrea of Google: "I'm not worried about the AI apocalypse. There's too much unwarranted hype." #TCDisrupt pic.twitter.com/flvjfBsddH
— TechCrunch (@TechCrunch) September 19, 2017
“There’s a huge amount of unwarranted hype around AI right now,” Giannandrea said. “This leap into, ‘Somebody is going to produce a superhuman intelligence and then there’s going to be all these ethical issues’ is unwarranted and borderline irresponsible.”
Though Giannandrea failed to mention Musk by name, the Google technologist made clear his dislike of recent AI warnings coming from “some people.”
“I’m definitely not worried about the AI apocalypse,” Giannandrea said. “I just object to the hype and the sound bites that some people have been making.”
Musk, who frequently discusses the potential dangers posed by AI on social media, has not responded thus far.
Earlier this month, Musk, who also co-founded non-profit AI research company OpenAI, warned that the burgeoning technology could lead to a third world war.
Musk’s remarks came after Russian President Vladimir Putin stated that the nation leading in AI would be “the ruler of the world.”
China, Russia, soon all countries w strong computer science. Competition for AI superiority at national level most likely cause of WW3 imo.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) September 4, 2017
“China, Russia, soon all countries w strong computer science,” Musk tweeted. “Competition for AI superiority at national level most likely cause of WW3 imo.”
In a letter to the United Nations (UN) last month, Musk and more than 100 other AI experts called upon the international body to ban the development and use of autonomous weapon systems.
Other tech giants such as Facebook co-founder Mark Zuckerberg have similarly accused Musk of drumming up “doomsday scenarios” related to AI.
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