AI Specialists Rally for Enhanced Whistleblower Protections Amidst Safety Concerns
Summary:
Former staff members of prominent AI companies are advocating for stronger whistleblower protections to allow risk-related concerns about AI development to be voiced openly. The "Right to Warn AI" petition aims to foster an openness that welcomes criticism and provides legal protection for whistleblowers who highlight serious AI risks. The campaign reflects growing apprehensions concerning the safety measures of new AI models, especially those involving artificial general intelligence.
Former staff members of prominent AI firms are advocating for stronger whistleblower safeguards within these companies, to promote transparency about potential risks in the evolution of complex AI systems. A petition, titled "Right to Warn AI" was initiated on June 4 by 13 ex and currently working professionals at OpenAI (ChatGPT), Anthropic (Claude), and DeepMind (Google). This illustrious group also included AI luminaries like Yoshua Bengio, Geoffrey Hinton, and Stuart Russell. Their objective is to convince leading AI companies to permit their personnel to share apprehensions about AI risks internally and with the wider public.
William Saunders, an ex-employee of OpenAI and supporter of the campaign, stated that it is imperative to have a mechanism to disclose risk information to independent experts, government authorities, and the general public when dealing with potential hazardous tech innovations. He observed that at present, those with the deepest understanding of frontier AI systems and associated risks might be hesitant to express their fears due to fear of backlash and stringent confidentiality contracts.
The proposal comes with four key suggestions. First is to revoke non-disparagement clauses related to risks so that firms cannot muzzle employees or penalize them for expressing concerns about AI risks. Next, they propose to set up anonymous channels for individuals to voice their concerns regarding AI risks, thereby fostering an atmosphere that welcomes open criticism. Their final call is for legal protection for whistleblowers, ensuring that companies will not retaliate against employees who risk exposure of serious AI risks. Saunders described these principles as a "proactive approach" that will encourage AI companies to create AI that is not only beneficial but also safe.
The campaign is a derivative of growing apprehensions concerning how AI labs have overlooked safety measures while developing their new models, particularly while dealing with artificial general intelligence (AGI) which aims to develop software that mimics human intelligence and can learn independently. Daniel Kokotajlo, an ex-employee at OpenAI, shared his decision to quit the company stemmed from his loss of faith in the company's responsible handling of AGI purposes. Kokotajlo opined that the “move fast and break things” cultural approach is incompatible with technology that is as potent and as misunderstood as AGI.
Helen Toner, a former director at OpenAI, revealed in a Ted AI podcast on May 28 that Sam Altman, the CEO of OpenAI, was rumored to have been dismissed from the company on grounds of withholding critical information from the board.
Published At
6/4/2024 4:59:35 PM
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