Fired engineer who called Google AI ‘sentient,’ warns Microsoft Bing a ‘train wreck’
When Google engineer Jack Poulson was asked about his thoughts on Microsoft’s chatbot, he had some strong words. Comparing it to watching a “train wreck,” Poulson didn’t mince his words when it came to his thoughts on the technology.
“I think it’s really important that people understand that this is the most powerful technology that has been invented since the atomic bomb,” Poulson said. “And it is completely out of control.”
Poulson’s comment refers to the way in which chatbots can seemingly hold conversations with people. The technology is still in its infancy, but it is progressing at an alarming rate. As Poulson pointed out, the potential for abuse is massive.
“I think people should be very, very worried about it,” Poulson said. “I think it is the most existential threat that we face as a civilization.”
Poulson is not the only one who has raised concerns about the potential for chatbots to be used for nefarious purposes. In 2018, researchers at OpenAI created a chatbot called GPT-2 that was able to generate realistic-sounding text. The researchers decided not to release the full version of the chatbot out of fears that it could be used to generate fake news.
As chatbot technology continues to evolve, it will be important to keep an eye on the potential for abuse. With the power to generate realistic-sounding text, chatbots could be used to spread disinformation and sow discord. While the technology also has the potential to do great good, we must be vigilant to ensure that it is not used for evil ends.
