Elon Musk: ‘AI stresses me out;’ “Mark my words, AI is much more dangerous than nukes. It scares the hell outta me”

Love him or hate him, Elon Musk has been consistent in warning everyone about the danger and perils of artificial intelligence (AI). With the recent popularity of ChatGPT, the threats of AI have now bubbled up to the surface.

In 2015, Musk co-founded OpenAI with Sam Altman and 20 others with the goal of addressing the concerns about existential risk from artificial general intelligence and advancing the beneficial use of AI in society. In 2018, Musk stepped down as the chairman due to a conflict of interest.

Then this week, The Information reported that Musk has contacted AI researchers to explore the development of a ChatGPT rival to fight what he referred to as ‘Woke AI.’ The report comes after Musk suggested last year that OpenAI’s technology was an example of “training AI to be woke.”

Musk didn’t stop there. Musk continues to sound the alarm bell about the need to address the danger of AI before it is too late. During a 3-hour presentation to Tesla investors on Wednesday, Musk told the audience that artificial intelligence is one of the technologies he’s worried about. “AI stresses me out,” Musk said near the end of the presentation.

The danger Musk was talking about is not just about generative AI like ChatGPT. When an analyst asked him if AI could help Tesla build cars, Musk sounded in a less optimistic tone.

“I don’t see AI helping us make cars any time soon,” he said. “At that point … there’s no point in any of us working,” Musk added.

Back in December, Musk reiterated his concerns when talking about the danger of OpenAI’s ChatGPT, a text-based chatbot developed by OpenAI that can draft prose, poetry, or even computer code on command, “is scary good. We are not far from dangerously strong AI.”

Musk amplified those concerns for the audience of Tesla analysts on Wednesday.

“I’m a little worried about the AI stuff,” Musk said from a stage appearance with 16 Tesla executives.

“We need some kind of, like, regulatory authority or something overseeing AI development,” Musk said. “Make sure it’s operating in the public interest. It’s quite dangerous technology. I fear I may have done some things to accelerate it.”

Tesla’s effort to enable its cars to drive themselves safely is “obviously useful” AI, Musk said. “I don’t know. Tesla is doing good things in AI,” he said. Musk paused, then sighed. “This one stresses me out. I don’t know what to say about it.”

Five years earlier, Musk also warned in late 2017 about the use of AI in warfare could lead to World War III. On September 4, 2017, The Verge posted a tweet of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s statement on Twitter when he was speaking to schoolchildren about artificial intelligence. President Putin said, “Whoever becomes the leader in this area will rule the world.”

On the same day and confirming his earlier warnings, Musk responded with these two words: “It begins….” In another tweet, Musk added:

“China, Russia, soon all countries w strong computer science. Competition for AI superiority at national level most likely cause of WW3 imo.”

China, Russia, soon all countries w strong computer science. Competition for AI superiority at national level most likely cause of WW3 imo.

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) September 4, 2017

That’s not all. At the South by Southwest Conference in Austin, Texas, Musk sat down with Jonathan Nolan, the creator of the hit HBO show ‘Westworld’ and Batman movie ‘The Dark Knight.” Below are some of the major highlights of the interview with Jonathan Nolan during the South by Southwest Conference in Austin, Texas.

On AI, Musk spoke in rather dark and foreboding terms saying:

We have to figure out some to ensure that the advent of digital super intelligence is one that is symbiotic with humanity. I think that’s the single biggest existential crisis that we face.

Mark my words, AI is much more dangerous than nukes. It scares the hell outta me. It’s capable of vastly more than almost anyone knows.

There needs to be a public regulatory body that has insight and then oversight to confirm that everyone is developing AI safely and in a way that is “symbiotic with humanity”.

Below is a video of Musk’s terrifying warnings about artificial intelligence and World War 3.