How the Loudest Voices in AI Went From ‘Regulate Us’ to ‘Unleash Us’
2 min read
Summary
At a Senate hearing in 2023, Sam Altman told lawmakers that regulatory intervention was vital to mitigate increasing risks caused by AI’s increasingly powerful models, however, two years later his message had changed, with the new sentiment being that sensible, streamlined regulation would allow for space to innovate and move quickly, without sacrificing safety.
The Presidency of Donald Trump has implemented a new doctrine which promotes pro-innovation, with a focus on beating China in the race for AI, which has overridden the previous Biden administration’s pro-regulation tone.
The EU’s regulatory regimen demands transparency and accountability from major AI companies, with the White House despising this approach, along with those building AI businesses in the US.
The US government has two foes in this movement, the first being the EU with its regulatory regimen and the second being China, with the heightened fear of the US being outperformed in the AI race leading to an eschewing of all but necessary safety guardrails.
There is a chance that fears of an AI apocalypse are overblown, however, if the US continues at full speed with AI development without crucial safeguards, it forces its biggest competitor to do the same, with both countries risking significant repercussions in the future.
