SoftBank Chief Raises Concerns Over Risks From AI Superintelligence

SoftBank Group chief Masayoshi Son has warned that increasingly capable artificial intelligence systems could create serious risks if advanced forms of AI fall into the wrong hands. Speaking at an event held alongside the Science and Technology in Society forum in Kyoto on Sunday, Son said the rapid growth of AI capabilities made international cooperation and trust increasingly important.

Son, a strong advocate for AI investment, said countries should work together to manage the risks posed by increasingly powerful AI systems. He argued that nations could no longer afford to focus primarily on conflicts between people when more advanced AI could present a far greater challenge. He specifically warned that superintelligence could become extremely dangerous if misused.

The comments marked a cautious assessment from Son, who has for years promoted AI's potential to transform businesses and generate significant economic value. SoftBank has committed substantial funding to OpenAI, the company behind ChatGPT, while Son has continued to argue that AI and learning machines could play a major role in the global economy.

Also Read: Nvidia Launches AI Security Platform To Restrict Rogue Agent Activity

US science and technology policy adviser Michael Kratsios also attended the event, where he announced a US-led initiative involving 17 countries aimed at using AI to accelerate scientific research. Representatives from countries including Japan, South Korea, the UK, Germany, Singapore and the United Arab Emirates participated in the event. Kratsios described a future in which automated laboratories and robotic systems could conduct large numbers of experiments and use AI to analyse results rapidly.

Son said AI services are continuing to expand beyond conventional chatbot functions, with systems increasingly capable of browsing websites and writing computer code. He expects the technology to progress further towards applications involving robots and other machines interacting with the physical world. He indicated that such capabilities could begin developing significantly from next year.

Despite his warning about AI risks, Son maintained his long-term view that artificial intelligence and learning machines could account for at least 20 per cent of global gross domestic product by 2040. He estimated that this would represent an economic contribution of about $46 trillion, while describing the current phase of AI development as only the beginning of a much broader technological transformation.

Also Read: AI Safety Risks: What Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei Says About Advanced Artificial Intelligence