MICHAEL M. SANTIAGO GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICAGetty Images via AFP Sam Altman, CEO of & ;#039;OpenAI, December 4, 2024 in New York.
AI becomes a soldier: OpenAI and Anduril Industries join forces to give military use to AI artificial intelligence. Behind the promises of national security lie major ethical issues, global competition, and all the excesses that go with them.
OpenAI, ChatGPT creator, is partnering with defense technology specialist Anduril Industries to develop artificial intelligence solutions for national security missions. As reported by AFP, this project aims in particular to improve defense against drones, these devices which are redefining the face of modern conflicts.
Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI, wants to reassure: “Our partnership with Anduril will help ensure that OpenAI's technology protects American military personnel and will help the international security community understand and responsibly use this technology to ensure the safety and freedom of our citizens.” But this collaboration raises thorny questions about the ethics and weaponization of AI.
At first, it was unthinkable. Just a year ago, OpenAI lifted the ban on using its technologies for military purposes. Anduril, led by Palmer Luckey, creator of Oculus VR, is no stranger to controversy: specializing in drones and control systems, the company is already a key player for the American, Australian and British militaries. This collaboration comes at a time of increased technological rivalry between the West and China, as aerial threats, from drones to remote-controlled aircraft, multiply. According to AFP, this partnership responds to an emergency: to equip allies with systems capable of outperforming their adversaries in critical decisions.
But the rapprochement between civilian and military technologies is worrying. What safeguards will ensure that this AI does not become a tool of domination, or even a danger to citizens ? If the race for innovation allows for progress, it flirts dangerously with ethical gray areas. Beyond Altman's words, history shows that technology, once released, often escapes its creators and always carries with it its share of societal excesses.
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