Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI, Holds Meeting with US Government Official to Address AI Risks
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman met with Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson on Capitol Hill Thursday and the two discussed the risks of artificial intelligence, the lawmaker’s office and the boss of ChatGPT’s maker said.
WHY IT’S IMPORTANT
Democratic US President Joe Biden’s administration has pushed lawmakers to regulate artificial intelligence, but the polarized US Congress, where Republicans control the House of Representatives and Democrats hold a majority in the Senate, has made little progress in passing effective regulation.
The rise of artificial intelligence has raised many concerns, including fears that it could be used to disrupt the democratic process, turbocharge fraud, or lead to job losses, among other harms. Europe is ahead of the United States in AI regulation, with lawmakers there crafting AI rules.
KEY QUOTATIONS
They met Thursday “to discuss the promises and risks of artificial intelligence and other technologies. The speaker believes Congress should encourage innovation, help maintain our competitive advantage, and remain aware of potential risks,” Johnson’s office said in a statement.
Altman told reporters that they discussed “trying to balance a huge turning point like this and figuring out how to mitigate the risk of AI,” adding that he was “excited to see what the legislative process does.”
CONTEXT
Backed by Microsoft, OpenAI was founded as an open-source nonprofit before co-founder Altman transitioned to a limited-profit structure in 2019.
In November, Altman said Microsoft would take a silent observer position on the company’s board.
OpenAI ousted Altman on Nov. 17 without a detailed reason, setting off alarm bells among investors and employees. He was reinstated days later with the promise of a new government.
In October, Biden signed an executive order requiring developers of artificial intelligence systems that pose risks to US national security, the economy and public safety to share the results of security tests with the federal government. The order exceeds voluntary commitments made by AI companies this year.
