Samuel Altman, CEO of OpenAI, testified before the US Senate Subcommittee on Privacy, Technology, and the Law today, urging lawmakers to take a proactive role in regulating Artificial Intelligence (AI) and fostering a cooperative relationship between the government and the AI industry.
Altman, alongside other industry and academic leaders, provided insights into the far-reaching implications of AI, highlighting the potential economic impacts, the need for safety measures, and the importance of robust privacy standards.
In his opening statement, Altman emphasized OpenAI's mission to ensure that artificial general intelligence (AGI) benefits all of humanity, underlining the transformative potential of AI tools like OpenAI's ChatGPT. He said, "OpenAI's mission is to ensure that AGI benefits all of humanity. We built ChatGPT as a tool to help as many people as possible."
Discussing the economic impacts of AI, Altman acknowledged that these tools could lead to significant changes in the labor market. "We expect significant economic impacts from AI in the near-term, including a mix of increased productivity for individual users, job creation, job transformation, and job displacement," he stated. Altman advocated for a collaborative approach with the U.S. government to understand and address these impacts.
On the topic of regulation, Altman emphasized the crucial role that government has to play. He said, "We believe that regulation of AI is essential. We’re eager to help policymakers as they determine how to facilitate regulation that balances incentivizing safety while ensuring that people are able to access the technology’s benefits."
He proposed a proactive approach towards AI regulation, suggesting the government should consider implementing a combination of licensing or registration requirements for the development and release of AI models, especially those with significant capabilities. Altman also stressed the need for a flexible governance regime to adapt to the fast-paced advancements in AI technology.
Regarding international cooperation, Altman stressed the need for global consensus on AI safety standards. "It will be important for policymakers to consider how to implement licensing regulations on a global scale and ensure international cooperation on AI safety," he said.
Altman also underscored the importance of managing the risks associated with AI technology and confirmed OpenAI's commitment to this cause. "We take the risks of this technology very seriously and will continue to do so in the future," he concluded.
His testimony served as a call to action for lawmakers and industry leaders alike to actively participate in shaping the future of AI in a manner that ensures safety, benefits the economy, and respects privacy.
The hearing, presided over by Chair Blumenthal, also included testimonies from Christina Montgomery, Chief Privacy & Trust Officer of IBM, and Gary Marcus, Professor Emeritus of New York University. Their insights will be covered in subsequent updates.
