OpenAI, Apple, Microsoft, Alphabet among AI companies urged by US Senator to prioritize security and combat bias

Senator Mark Warner, a Democrat and the chair of the Senate Intelligence Committee, has expressed concerns regarding the potential risks posed by AI technology. He emphasized that beyond industry commitments, there is a clear need for some level of regulation in this field. Warner took action by sending letters to the CEOs of several AI companies, including OpenAI, Scale AI, Meta Platforms, Alphabet’s Google, Apple, Stability AI, Midjourney, Anthropic, Percipient.ai, and Microsoft.

“With the increasing use of AI across large swaths of our economy, and the possibility for large language models to be steadily integrated into a range of existing systems, from healthcare to finance sectors, I see an urgent need to underscore the importance of putting security at the forefront of your work,” stated Warner.

A few weeks ago, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer announced that he had initiated an effort to establish rules around AI and to address concerns related to national security and education, given the widespread use of programs such as ChatGPT.

In a statement, Schumer, who is a Democrat, revealed that he had drafted and circulated a “framework that outlines a new regulatory regime that would prevent potentially catastrophic damage to our country while simultaneously ensuring that the US progresses and takes the lead in this transformative technology.”

The rapid rise of ChatGPT, an AI program that has gained significant attention for its ability to quickly generate answers to a diverse range of queries, has caught the interest of US lawmakers. With over 100 million monthly active users, ChatGPT has become the fastest-growing consumer application in history.

OpenAI, the company that developed ChatGPT, has received significant investments from Microsoft, a major player in the AI space, along with Google. Both companies have been investing heavily in AI to stay ahead of the competition in the increasingly competitive Silicon Valley market.

(With inputs from Reuters)