Last week, the tech world was set abuzz when Mark Zuckerberg, the man behind Facebook and Meta, announced his plans to acquire a staggering 350,000 Nvidia H100 graphics chips. These chips, with a price tag of about $30,000 each, are renowned for their capability to power AI models. What’s raising eyebrows among experts is Zuckerberg’s intention to use these chips to build an open-source artificial AGI, essentially a form of AI that could match or even exceed human intelligence.
The very notion of open-source AGI being developed and released prior to the establishment of regulations for these immensely powerful AI systems has sparked significant apprehension among researchers. Dame Wendy Hall, a respected computer scientist at the University of Southampton and a member of the United Nations’ AI advisory board, expressed her concerns about the potential repercussions of unleashing open-source AGI without a thorough understanding of how to govern such advanced AI systems. She emphasized that AGI still appears to be “many years away,” providing society with the opportunity to establish a regulatory framework.
The sentiment was echoed by Rew Rogoyski, a director at the Institute for People-Centred AI at the University of Surrey, who highlighted the complexities and potential consequences of Meta, with its plans to delve into AGI. With Meta stepping into the arena alongside other contenders such as OpenAI and Google DeepMind, the decision to open source these potentially world-altering models has ignited a plethora of concerns and debates.
While the concept of open-sourcing current AI models has its own intricate arguments, the stakes are significantly heightened when it comes to AGI. The prospect of Meta, or any other entity, unleashing a form of AI that could potentially shape the future of the world without the necessary regulatory framework has set the stage for a critical discussion on whether this move could be a salvation or a catastrophe waiting to unfold.
As the tech world eagerly awaits the unfolding of events, the implications of Zuckerberg’s ambitious plans and the broader implications of open-source AGI remain a topic of intense debate and contemplation within the realm of artificial intelligence and its potential impact on humanity.
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