Microsoft's president says that AI needs 'Human control'

Right now, we’re still just learning about what potential impacts AI could have on humanity going forward. It’s all speculation and crystal balls at this point, but several figures in the tech industry are concerned that the technology, if left off the leash, will have a negative effect. In an exclusive interview with CNBC, Brad Smith, Microsoft’s president, stated that AI technology needs human control.

Brad Smith shares his views on AI

AI technology is fast growing, and it’s gained the ability to create from thin air. It can generate text, pictures, and music. It’s able to do everything from giving you life advice to writing you a poem to giving you a recipe. It’s getting to the point where it’s smart enough to operate with no human intervention.

However, Brad Smith stated that, “We have to ensure that AI remains subject to human control.”, in the interview, “… we need to ensure that we have humans in control, that we can slow things down or turn things off.”

This is a sentiment that many people in the tech industry agree with. Every sort of technology needs a failsafe. There needs to be someone to hit the brakes if something goes sideways. It’s tempting to sit back and let the AI complete tasks for you, but that’s not the point of AI.

Responsible AI developers want the technology to be used to assist people, not relieve them of duty. It can help with executive functions, but there still needs to be a human being overlooking what it’s doing. This is why Microsoft calls it AI chatbot Co-pilot.

This is just another example showing that AI could be a ticking time bomb without the proper regulation. Generative AI is being implemented into so many corners of our modern-day technology. Right now, it may seem like a cash grab for most companies, but it could turn into a huge problem if left unattended.