Artificial intelligence to destroy humanity in 5 years: Top CEOs alarmed by AI’s catastrophic potential

The survey, which gathered responses from 119 CEOs representing various industries, revealed a lack of consensus regarding the risks and opportunities associated with AI.

While 34% of CEOs expressed the view that AI could be destructive within a decade, and 8% believed it could happen within five years, 58% of CEOs stated they were not worried and believed that such a scenario would never materialise.

Similarly, 42% of the CEOs surveyed argued that concerns about the catastrophic potential of AI were exaggerated, while 58% believed they were not overstated, CNN reported.

These findings emerged shortly after a statement signed by numerous AI industry leaders, academics and public figures highlighted the risks of an “extinction” event resulting from AI development.

The statement, signed by individuals such as OpenAI CEO Sam Altman and Geoffrey Hinton, a prominent figure in the field, emphasised the need for society to take proactive measures to mitigate the dangers associated with AI.

While opinions among business leaders vary, the CEOs surveyed by Yale generally agreed on the transformative impact of AI in certain industries. Healthcare was identified as the sector expected to experience the most significant changes by 48% of the CEOs, followed by professional services/IT at 35% and media/digital at 11%.

As experts debate the implications of AI, the Yale survey identified five distinct groups among business leaders. These include “curious creators” who embrace AI without fully considering the consequences, “euphoric true believers” who are optimistic about the technology and “commercial profiteers” who are eagerly capitalising on AI without a comprehensive understanding of its risks.

Additionally, there are two camps advocating for different approaches: alarmist activists and global governance advocates. These groups exhibit divergent perspectives, resulting in a lack of consensus on how to navigate the complex landscape of AI, as per the publication.

Updated: 16 Jun 2023, 07:15 AM IST

The survey, which gathered responses from 119 CEOs representing various industries, revealed a lack of consensus regarding the risks and opportunities associated with AI.

While 34% of CEOs expressed the view that AI could be destructive within a decade, and 8% believed it could happen within five years, 58% of CEOs stated they were not worried and believed that such a scenario would never materialise.

Similarly, 42% of the CEOs surveyed argued that concerns about the catastrophic potential of AI were exaggerated, while 58% believed they were not overstated, CNN reported.

These findings emerged shortly after a statement signed by numerous AI industry leaders, academics and public figures highlighted the risks of an “extinction” event resulting from AI development.

The statement, signed by individuals such as OpenAI CEO Sam Altman and Geoffrey Hinton, a prominent figure in the field, emphasised the need for society to take proactive measures to mitigate the dangers associated with AI.

While opinions among business leaders vary, the CEOs surveyed by Yale generally agreed on the transformative impact of AI in certain industries. Healthcare was identified as the sector expected to experience the most significant changes by 48% of the CEOs, followed by professional services/IT at 35% and media/digital at 11%.

As experts debate the implications of AI, the Yale survey identified five distinct groups among business leaders. These include “curious creators” who embrace AI without fully considering the consequences, “euphoric true believers” who are optimistic about the technology and “commercial profiteers” who are eagerly capitalising on AI without a comprehensive understanding of its risks.

Additionally, there are two camps advocating for different approaches: alarmist activists and global governance advocates. These groups exhibit divergent perspectives, resulting in a lack of consensus on how to navigate the complex landscape of AI, as per the publication.

Updated: 16 Jun 2023, 07:15 AM IST