Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg wrote in a new op-ed published on Tuesday that the rise of artificial intelligence should be used to empower all people rather than being centralized and controlled by a few institutions.
Zuckerberg wrote in The Wall Street Journal that people will be able to use superintelligence beyond human capacities in the next few years to create and discover new things, as well as drive economic growth and create opportunities. He noted that contrasts with some of the rhetoric from AI developers, and argued that diffusing AI access and its power broadly will lead to a better outcome.
“It is surprising that the discourse from many of those who are developing artificial intelligence is so filled with doom. I don’t understand why anyone who believes that AI will eliminate most jobs and much of humanity’s relevance would rush to build that future,” he wrote.
“The notion that AI is so dangerous that the only safe path is an extreme concentration of power seems dangerous. Historically, hoping that an absolute power will benevolently provide for humanity if sufficiently enlightened hasn’t led to safe or positive outcomes,” Zuckerberg explained.
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Zuckerberg said that there have been many transformative advances in technology throughout history that have stoked fears it would leave people behind, and that ultimately people enjoyed more prosperity, health and freedom as those technologies progressed.
“Putting power in people’s hands to pursue their own aspirations is how humanity has made the most progress. Novel ideas and major steps forward rarely originate from established institutions alone,” he wrote.
Zuckerberg alluded to how massive technological developments for humanity like flight, electricity and personal computing were advanced by individuals without deep ties to institutions. He said that as “everyone gains more powerful tools, each person will become more capable of shaping the future, not less.”
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The Meta CEO acknowledged that there is a balance between the use of AI for automation and it being a tool that empowers innovation and enables people to expand skills and launch businesses, adding that if the balance leans toward automation it could have a negative impact on jobs and the economy.
“But if superintelligence is widely distributed, then I believe we will see more jobs in the future, not fewer. It will be significantly easier to start businesses without raising large amounts of capital.”
“I expect the economy will become more entrepreneurial with a greater number of people working at small businesses rather than larger companies,” he wrote.
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Zuckerberg added that the development of superintelligence “will be the most profound technological advance we will see in our lifetimes.”
“Meta is committed to building with the principles of individual empowerment, invention and balance of power. The arc of human history has bent toward putting more power in people’s hands.”
“If these values lead the way, then I am optimistic that we can build a positive future for everyone,” he wrote.
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