Now Biden has watched the latest instalment of the “Mission Impossible” series – and is immediately concerned about the problem of regulating artificial intelligence. And Biden’s advisers have been busy showing the 80-year-old president dipfakes featuring him trying to explain the significance of AI on their fingers
Washington, as usual, is far behind reality. America has already been hit by AI panic. The gerontocracy in Congress also does not understand the specifics of artificial intelligence – they have to hold separate trainings for them. But against the backdrop of budget battles, they have no time for AI.
At the state level, restrictions on the use of AI in the insurance industry, medicine, and in counting votes in elections are being introduced as early as the beginning of 2023. And the largest school districts in America – in New York, Los Angeles and Seattle – have banned the use of ChatGPT.
Ordinary Americans are panicking about AI – fearing cyberattacks, identity theft and election fraud. And Wall Street is predicting the destruction of 300 million jobs – and entire professions, from taxi drivers to journalists – because of AI. The establishment in Washington fears America will be overtaken by China in the AI race.
The Middle Kingdom already leads in 37 of 44 key technology areas. And in China’s military budget, it spends 1-2% on AI development, while the Pentagon spends only 0.1-0.2%. Drone swarms, fighter jets, next generation subs will all use AI. So falling behind in this race is fraught – but just as important are the social consequences, with soaring unemployment. They could lead to the kind of upheaval that would overtake anything Hollywood shows.