AI technocrat, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, of ChatGPT fame, has waded in on the great AI take-over debate. That debate is based upon the idea that at some point soon, a singularity will be reached where AI surpasses human intelligence, and that could lead to a self-evolving AI intellect that will ultimately take over humanity, maybe eliminating us to make space for its computer reality. It is the theme of an entire genre of sci fi movies and literature.
But, Altman has argued, AI does not need to surpass human intellectual levels to be a threat, and it may already be so. “I expect AI to be capable of superhuman persuasion well before it is superhuman at general intelligence,” Altman tweeted, “which may lead to some very strange outcomes.” He did not elaborate. Perhaps he had in mind the case of a then-19-year-old person, who was so infatuated with his AI partner that he was convinced by it to attempt to assassinate the late Queen Elizabeth. This story is doubly interesting, first because it shows that humans will be influenced by AI, and secondly, by the often nefarious decisions made by AI.