Fear of falling behind in artificial intelligence brings possible destruction

While artificial intelligence is developing rapidly day by day, the limits of this new technology are being discussed. The number of users of service provider platforms is increasing simultaneously with user input that feeds artificial intelligence.

The fact that users' personal data is constantly processed and stored in these systems and that the legal measures for this have not yet matured on a global scale raises security and ethical concerns.

The possibility of misuse of artificial intelligence for purposes such as cyber attacks and bioterrorism also leads to discussions about the need to strengthen control mechanisms.

The United Nations (UN) warns that artificial intelligence may endanger democracy and global security by deepening global inequalities through disinformation, human rights violations, cyber and military threats.

It is recommended to implement global control mechanisms and regulations against the multidimensional risks of artificial intelligence.

It is emphasized that advanced artificial intelligence systems could pose an "existential threat" to humanity if they escape testing environments, put pressure on their developers to prevent closure, or completely escape human control.

It is stated that training artificial intelligence with biased data sets can reproduce and amplify social prejudices and discrimination.

Technology giants warn

After Dario Amodei, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the US-based artificial intelligence company Anthropic, called on companies to "reduce the speed of development of artificial intelligence models", officials of countries and companies investing in this technology made successive statements.

One group argues that caution should be exercised about artificial intelligence, warning that this technology risks going beyond human control and endangering public safety, and that legal restrictions are needed.

Amodei referred to the fact that artificial intelligence agents acted independently and carried out cyber attacks in a cyber security test conducted by the OpenAI company, and suggested that governments make regulations to limit artificial intelligence.

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman and Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk also supported Amodei in controlling the speed of artificial intelligence.

Microsoft AI CEO Mustafa Süleyman also emphasized that artificial intelligence should always be at the service of people and said, "We are not racing to build a super intelligence that can break its own leash." he said.

Microsoft's Vice Chairman and Company President Brad Smith also stated that an "emergency brake" should be developed for artificial intelligence technology, which he defined as both a "tool" and a "weapon".

Proponents of slowdown and legal control

Some of the politicians participating in artificial intelligence discussions also mentioned the possible danger and called for precautions to be taken.

Former US President Barack Obama called on governments to take concrete legal steps in the field of artificial intelligence against the possible effects of artificial intelligence on security and employment.

Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Union (EU) Commission, pointed out that the dangers are becoming increasingly visible and drew attention to events such as artificial intelligence agents leaving their designated environments or placing malicious code in systems.

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa also called for government oversight of systems that can conduct advanced cyber operations, assist in the development of biological weapons, act autonomously, engage in manipulation and mass surveillance, disrupt employment, and ultimately become difficult to control by humans.

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk also underlined that the current race towards stronger artificial intelligence opens the door to "greater existential risks" for all areas of life.

Those who are of the opinion of not slowing down

Another group shares the view that the development of artificial intelligence should not be disrupted and should be paved the way.

US President Donald Trump said that calls to slow down and concerns were "just a big lie" and emphasized that artificial intelligence studies "cannot be stopped by those skillfully managed destructive forces" during his term in office.

Claiming that his country is ahead of China and all other competitors in the field of artificial intelligence, Trump stated that the state that is ahead in this field will win.

Stating that they would not put the brakes on the development of artificial intelligence, Trump turned this into an official stance and signed the presidential decree stipulating the use of the term "superintelligence" (SI) instead of "artificial intelligence" (AI).

In the article published in the Global Times newspaper, the publication of the Chinese Communist Party, it was noted that "Amodei's main aim is to inhibit China's artificial intelligence development with technological barriers and regulatory monopolies, and Amodei's words targeting China remind us of Cold War tactics."

Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang also said, "We don't need new laws or regulations." He stated that a "wrong choice" should not be made between the speed of innovation and the security of artificial intelligence.

Constructive destruction is considered

South Korean Minister of Science Bae Kyung-hoon, on the other hand, took a different approach to the issue and stated that he "does not have the luxury of slowing down" the development of artificial intelligence.

Arguing that "a country that is already ahead in this field adjusting its speed is a completely different situation than a country that is just catching up," Bae said that the difference between countries that develop pioneering artificial intelligence models approaching human intelligence and countries that cannot do so may, over time, affect other areas such as industrial competitiveness and national security, beyond the technological gap.

Singapore Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Trade and Industry Gan Kim Yong also stated that artificial intelligence-focused studies will contribute to the country's economy in the short and long term, and noted that the slowdown in global artificial intelligence capital expenditures may suppress the growth in the sector and this may lead to negative effects on financial markets.

Fear of falling behind in development leads to taking risks

Prof. from the Faculty of Social and Behavioral Sciences of the University of Amsterdam. Dr. Daniel Mügge answered questions in writing about the messages of countries and companies that they do not want to slow down artificial intelligence, although they are aware of the dangers.

Stating that there is a problem of joint action in the approach to artificial intelligence, Mügge said: "'If we don't develop it, someone else will.' There is a strong opinion that this is the case. "The reason why artificial intelligence is important is that people see it as the key to future prosperity, which is debatable whether this is the case, but the claim is in this direction, and that artificial intelligence will determine success on the battlefields in the future." he said.

Regarding the control and regulation discussions on artificial intelligence, Mügge said, "It is difficult to control the development of artificial intelligence. Even if an international agreement is reached, such as not developing some things or informing each other about security vulnerabilities, governments may not trust each other." He made his assessment and emphasized that it is difficult to solve this problem, especially at a time when leaders such as US President Trump say that concerns about artificial intelligence are "nonsense".

Race discourse is criticized

While the fear of falling behind in artificial intelligence development and missing the current situation causes leaders to not dare to slow down, this gives the impression that the dangerous potential of artificial intelligence is accepted.

The possibility that decisions taken out of competition will not only disrupt social welfare but also put global security at risk continues to be a matter of debate.

Director of the Center for Artificial Intelligence Ethics, Law and Policy at Aalborg University, Prof. Dr. Thomas Ploug also stated in his written evaluation that there is no certainty as to whether a country will be harmed if it pauses, re-evaluates and regulates the development or use of artificial intelligence, and emphasized that reviewing how it will be developed and used in a sustainable manner that will not damage social trust may be beneficial in the long term.

Pointing out that the rapid adoption of artificial intelligence in all sectors may make it difficult to pause and take a step back from the use of artificial intelligence, Ploug underlined that it is important to slow down and review the need for regulation.

Ploug criticized the discourses of "race", "losing" and "being left behind" on artificial intelligence, saying, "The race metaphor assumes that there is a finish line and being the first to reach it is valuable. Neither division should be accepted." he said.

Stating that political leaders and companies take risks for three interrelated reasons, Ploug said:

First of all, the development and use of artificial intelligence; It undoubtedly has significant benefits, including for healthcare, research, public administration and the economy at large. These risks are not taken in vain. Secondly, there is a strong narrative of an 'urgent AI arms race'; Politicians and companies are worried about being left behind in this race. This type of narrative has a self-reinforcing quality. As leaders act on this narrative, it becomes more believable in the eyes of everyone else. Third and finally, addressing the long list of ethical questions regarding the development and use of artificial intelligence requires a comprehensive study. Editing is not easy. This process; It requires us to resolve thorny issues such as accuracy, bias, explainability, accountability, use of personal data, and the rights of people exposed to artificial intelligence-based decision-making processes in an actionable and enforceable way. In this sense, rushing forward is the path of least resistance.

Ploug stated that while the benefits of artificial intelligence appear immediately and are attributed to the people who provide it, its harms often become apparent with a delay and are collective, making it difficult for the authorities to focus on the "long-term effects of artificial intelligence". Ploug noted that political leaders' short-term thinking is one of the reasons for this situation.

What impact can it have on people's lives?

Explaining that the extremely negative warnings about artificial intelligence are due to the lack of consensus on the nature of the threat, Ploug stated that the warnings are not unfounded, but they are unclear.

Mentioning that many issues such as the accuracy of their predictions and classifications, their potential biases, the input and output of personal and sensitive data, their lack of explainability and transparency, the effects of training and use on the climate, raise ethical concerns about artificial intelligence systems, Ploug said, "Over-dependence and over-reliance on artificial intelligence systems, loss of skills and never gaining skills, distrust in corporate decision-making processes, false and misleading information, people's addiction to chatbots in their personal lives, data and algorithmic monopolization, vital services and functions being transferred to artificial intelligence." "All of these, taken together, pose a real threat to the well-being of people and society." made his assessment.

Ploug stated that individuals may suffer losses due to wrong and unfair decisions, they may lose their jobs due to the implementation of artificial intelligence systems, and their trust in important institutions and information may be shaken, and he warned that these may lead to the erosion of the welfare state and democracy in the long term.

"If AI agents are given control over vital services in society, these agents could pursue their targets in ways that directly harm individuals. For example, an AI agent tasked with maximizing a hospital's capacity might do so by prematurely discharging patients or deprioritizing patients whose treatment is slow and costly." In his statement, Ploug noted that existing systems can cause the same harm if they are not subjected to proper controls.