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UK PM Warns of Possibility of Humanity Losing Control of AI, as Britain Seeks Tech Leadership

On Thursday, Britain's Prime Minister Rishi Sunak cautioned about the potential dangers associated with artificial intelligence. He remarked that the technology may bring forth a remarkable shift in society, yet the use of AI to construct weapons and criminals taking advantage of it represent risks that must be addressed. Sunak's address happened as the British government is set to hold an AI Safety Summit next week in order to bring together firms and policymakers to go over the potential dangers of the technology. On Thursday, British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak cautioned of the potential risks connected to artificial intelligence (AI) in advance of a summit intended to give the U.K. a place in the development of safety protocols related to the technology. Sunak expressed in a speech that the implications of AI are likely to be vast, similar to the impacts of the industrial revolution, the development of electricity, and the dawn of the internet. Nonetheless, Sunak cautioned of the potential for AI to be used to fabricate chemical or biological weapons or be taken advantage of by criminals. He additionally stated that, in the most unlikely of situations, humanity may even lose control of AI, commonly referred to as “super intelligence”. In his speech, Rishi Sunak announced plans to launch the world's first AI safety institute. This institute will work to evaluate and test new types of AI to understand the potential risks associated with them. The AI Safety Summit taking place next week at Bletchley Park will provide an opportunity for countries and businesses to talk about the potential risks of AI, and Sunak has stated he will suggest the nomination of a "global expert panel" to publish a state of AI science report.The U.K. is looking to position itself as a leader in AI safety, and its invite to China to attend the summit next week demonstrates its desire to engage all of the forerunners in the AI space, despite the U.S. and China being locked in a technology battle. China has been introducing a number of regulations around AI in recent years and Washington has sought to limit Beijing's access to certain key technologies related to AI.

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