Microsoft's AI Chief, Mustafa Suleyman, says "it's crazy to actually declare" that superintelligence will replace our species

Mustafa Suleyman, Microsoft AI CEO talks on Day 1 of the AI Safety Summit at Bletchley Park at Bletchley Park on November 1, 2023 in Bletchley, England.
Microsoft's AI CEO, Mustafa Suleyman, says that superintelligence AIs shouldn't be developed to replace humanity, but to serve them and drive significant scientific breakthroughs and innovation. (Image credit: Getty Images | Leon Neal)

OpenAI might have just given Microsoft the keys to the generative AI kingdom after signing a new definitive agreement that allows the software giant to pursue AGI (artificial general intelligence) independently or in collaboration with third parties. However, Microsoft's AI CEO, Mustafa Suleyman, has recently been critical about AI development, its safety, and, by extension, its long-term impact on humanity.

While AI has proven to be an invaluable piece of technology that has helped drive significant growth across education, computing, medicine, and entertainment, it also ships with its own fair share of challenges, including privacy, security, and an existential threat.

I've said in the past that it's going to be more like a digital species. I've referred to it as seemingly conscious, having the appearance of conscious but not actually being conscious. I think in general, we're all grappling for the right words to describe the arrival of this very different technology compared to anything we've ever seen before. And I think the more people are talking about humanism, right? The primacy of the human, that's a framework, and it's the beginnings of a broader idea that I think lots of other people should develop and adapt and so on. But that's a very clear statement, which is that these things like the project of superintelligence should not be about replacing or threatening our species. Like that should just be taken for granted. It's crazy to have to actually declare that. That should be self-evident, but I'm seeing lots of indications that people don't always agree.

Microsoft AI CEO, Mustafa Suleyman
Microsoft's Suleyman says superintelligent AIs should not replace our species - "and it's crazy to have to actually declare that" - but many in AI don't agree. from r/OpenAI

This news comes after Suleyman announced that Microsoft is doubling down on its AI advances after forming a new team called MAI Superintelligence to pursue the coveted benchmark. According to the executive:

"Microsoft needs to be self-sufficient in AI. And to do that, we have to train frontier models of all scales with our own data and compute at the state-of-the-art level."

But compared to rival research AI labs, Microsoft is developing humanist superintelligence to deliver "all the goodness of science and invention without the “uncontrollable risks” part". Suleyman is advocating superintelligence to serve humans, not to outrightly replace them.

FAQ

Is Microsoft free to pursue AGI independently from OpenAI?

After signing a new definitive agreement, Microsoft is at liberty to pursue superintelligence and AGI away from its multi-billion partnership with OpenAI, independently or in collaboration with third parties.

What does Microsoft hope to achieve with AGI?

According to Microsoft's AI CEO, Mustafa Suleyman, the company wants to use superintelligence to deliver significant scientific breakthroughs and innovations that will serve humanity, not replace them.


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Kevin Okemwa
Contributor

Kevin Okemwa is a seasoned tech journalist based in Nairobi, Kenya with lots of experience covering the latest trends and developments in the industry at Windows Central. With a passion for innovation and a keen eye for detail, he has written for leading publications such as OnMSFT, MakeUseOf, and Windows Report, providing insightful analysis and breaking news on everything revolving around the Microsoft ecosystem. While AFK and not busy following the ever-emerging trends in tech, you can find him exploring the world or listening to music.

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