OpenAI just issued a major warning about AI threats — should you be worried?

Something like "Artificial Superintelligence" could sound like a sci-fi term, but the breakneck pace at which AI is evolving means that it could be achieved sooner than previously thought. One of the industry leaders, OpenAI, recently issued a "risk warning" about superintelligence and its impact on the world. This isn't something just for the policymakers to worry about, but every worker in the world should be concerned. According to a Forbes report, the warning comes as a wake-up call for workers who will need to embrace the changes AI is about to bring.

According to IBM, superintelligence refers to AI that surpasses even the most "cognitively gifted" human beings. While such a machine could help humans answer many of life's unanswered questions, OpenAI has warned that it may come with dire consequences. “Although the potential upsides are enormous, we treat the risks of superintelligent systems as potentially catastrophic and believe that empirically⁠ studying⁠ safety⁠ and alignment⁠ can help global decisions, like whether the whole field should slow development to more carefully study these systems as we get closer to systems capable of recursive self-improvement. Obviously, no one should deploy superintelligent systems without being able to robustly align and control them, and this requires more technical work," the company's statement read.

Coming to the timeline of development, the company wrote, "In 2026, we expect AI to be capable of making very small discoveries. In 2028 and beyond, we are pretty confident we will have systems that can make more significant discoveries (though we could of course be wrong; this is what our research progress appears to indicate)." It further added that to minimize the risk, building "AI resilience ecosystems" will be essential. Citing how the dawn of the internet led to the creation of the field of cybersecurity, which includes "software, encryption protocols, standards, monitoring systems, emergency response teams," and more, something "analogous" will be needed for AI.

AI-related layoffs have already hit tech companies, including Amazon, Microsoft, and IBM. Even the World Economic Forum noted that AI will disrupt 93 million jobs across the world. In a report, Forbes estimates that the disruption that AI will bring in the next five years will lead to some significant changes in the job market. Organizations will need to deploy frameworks and work with government regulations to tighten internal policies around the use of AI at work. Furthermore, workers will need to be AI literate, trained in cybersecurity ethics, and even produce proof and credentials of their skills in working with AI.

Soon, "AI Training" will become mandatory for workers, the report estimates. As per Forbes, a third of workers are using AI tools at work, without the knowledge of their employer. Since this poses a high security risk for organizations, companies will soon be forced to provide AI training relevant to their industry to work with the AI tools ethically. "As a professional, you should also be proactive in undertaking and completing AI certifications and training, especially as far as AI ethics, compliance, and safety are concerned," the report mentions.

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