Elon Musk & other tech giant CEOs urge to regulate AI use during Capitol Hill meeting

In a meeting with US Senators, Elon Musk, the CEO of Tesla, urged the establishment of a regulatory body in the United States to oversee artificial intelligence (AI). This call comes after a meeting with other tech CEOs, including Mark Zuckerberg and Sundar Pichai at Capitol Hill to discuss AI regulation.

Lawmakers are actively searching for ways to address the potential risks associated with the rapid growth of AI technology, which has gained significant investment and popularity, especially since the release of ChatGPT.

Tech CEOs’ tell how to regulate AI

Musk emphasised the need for a regulatory "referee" to ensure the safe and responsible use of AI, likening it to the role of a referee in sports. He believes such a regulator would ensure that companies take actions that prioritise public safety.

According to Musk, the meeting was a significant step for humanity and could be remembered as pivotal for the future of civilization. During the forum, he referred to AI as a "double-edged sword."

Mark Zuckerberg emphasised that Congress should engage with AI to promote both innovation and safeguards. He stated that the government should play a crucial role in balancing the interests associated with this emerging technology. Zuckerberg also expressed the importance of American companies collaborating with the government to shape AI models on critical issues.

There was a unanimous agreement among 60 senators who participated in the discussions about the necessity of government regulation for AI.

Why is there a need to regulate AI?

Senator Chuck Schumer, the Democratic Senate Majority Leader who organised the forum, emphasised the urgency of regulating AI ahead of the 2024 U.S. general election, especially in the context of addressing deep fakes. While lawmakers acknowledge that crafting comprehensive legislation will take time and are keen to establish, protection against potential threats like deep fakes, fake videos, election interference, and attacks on critical infrastructure is of utmost importance.

It's worth noting that in March, Elon Musk and a group of AI experts and executives called for a six-month pause in the development of AI systems more advanced than OpenAI's GPT-4, citing concerns about potential societal risks.

Regulators worldwide are working to formulate rules governing the use of generative AI, which can create text and images that are virtually indistinguishable from those created by humans.

In short, several companies, including Adobe, IBM, and Nvidia, have signed President Joe Biden's voluntary AI commitments, which aim to ensure that AI's power is harnessed for constructive purposes. The White House is also working on an AI executive order.