UN Secretary General calls uncontrolled artificial intelligence an existential threat

UN Secretary-General António Guterres has called uncontrolled artificial intelligence an existential threat.

He said this at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Ukrinform reports.

“Another area of ​​existential threat — is uncontrolled artificial intelligence. Yes, artificial intelligence has enormous potential for humanity, revolutionizing education, improving medicine and disease diagnosis, helping farmers with smart tools to increase productivity, defuse landmines, and better target aid in times of crisis. These are real results that are already happening. But with these capabilities come profound risks, especially if AI is left unchecked. It can be used as a tool of deception. It can disrupt the functioning of economies and labor markets, undermine trust in institutions, and have frightening impacts and consequences on the battlefield,” Guterres said.

He also noted that artificial intelligence could exacerbate inequality, as not everyone has access to it and not everyone can reap the benefits.

The UN Secretary-General stressed that the opportunities provided by artificial intelligence could pose enormous risks, especially if the technology gets out of control.