History has shown that cutting edge technology always brings out the best and worst in international competition.
But advances in artificial intelligence will take these battles to a new level in 2024 on issues ranging from the stock market to military readiness. Never before has so much been at stake: international relations, the economy, your next job, and even the future of life on Earth.
Let’s take a look at some of the positive headlines about AI from the last week.
Seattle Times — Nvidia surges as sales forecasting meets AI promise:
“Shares of Nvidia, the chipmaker at the center of the artificial intelligence boom, surged on Thursday after a bullish sales forecast showed AI computing spending remains strong. The company said Wednesday that second-quarter revenue would be about $28 billion, beating analysts’ expectations of $26.8 billion.”
Euronews.next — VivaTech 2024: How ready are companies and countries for the AI revolution?
“At Paris’ Viva Technology fair, hundreds of speakers are weighing in on the disruption that artificial intelligence (AI) will cause. Tech experts tell Euronewsnext how Europeans can ensure they don’t get left behind.”
“As generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) advances, the impact of the technology will be more pronounced than ever, but one of the main challenges will be training enough people in the new skills needed for the AI revolution,” a tech source told Euronews Next.
“We don’t believe AI will replace humans, but humans using AI may replace humans not using AI,” said Lisa Heneghan, global chief digital officer at KPMG.
Below is the VivaTech 2024 video:
Crunch Base — Scale AI raises $1 billion in Accel-led round, reaching a valuation of $13.8 billion:
“ScaleAI’s new funding round marks the second $1 billion funding round for a U.S.-based AI startup this month, following CoreWeave’s massive $1.1 billion raise in a new funding round led by Coatue, bringing the company’s valuation to $19 billion, according to The Wall Street Journal.”
CNBC Video — French President Emmanuel Macron talks AI, geopolitics and economics
“CNBC’s Andrew Ross Sorkin speaks exclusively with French President Emmanuel Macron about how to balance advances in AI with the workforce, rising geopolitical tensions, and the economy.”
US and China discuss AI
However, last week the United States held its first “AI Dialogue” with China. Related articles on these topics include:
Associated Press In first AI dialogue, US accuses China of ‘misuse’ of AI, Beijing protests Washington’s restrictions:
“U.S. officials expressed concern about China’s ‘misuse of AI’ and a Beijing delegation criticized the United States for ‘restrictions and pressure’ on AI,” the two governments said in separate statements on Wednesday, a day after a Geneva meeting on the technology.
“Summaries of closed-door discussions between senior envoys on the risks of AI and how to manage it signal tensions between Beijing and Washington over the rapidly advancing technology, which has become a new flashpoint in bilateral relations.”
“China and the United States ‘exchanged views on our respective approaches to AI safety and risk management’ during ‘candid and constructive’ talks the previous day, National Security Council spokesman Adrian Watson said in a statement. Beijing said the two sides exchanged views in a ‘detailed, professional and constructive manner.'”
Reuters — US lawmakers seek $32 billion to give US AI an edge over China.
“A bipartisan group of senators, including Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, urged Congress on Wednesday to approve $32 billion in funding for artificial intelligence research to keep the U.S. ahead of China in powerful technology.”
The Wall Street Journal — Microsoft asks hundreds of China-based AI staff to consider relocating amid rising US-China tensions:
“Microsoft is asking hundreds of employees in its China-based cloud computing and artificial intelligence business to consider relocating abroad, as American tech giants find themselves targeted in rising tensions between the U.S. and China.”
“The staff, mostly Chinese engineers, have recently been offered the opportunity to relocate to countries including the United States, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand, a person familiar with the matter said. Around 700 to 800 people have received offers, with the majority working on machine learning and other cloud computing tasks.”
Musk talks AI again
Meanwhile, Elon Musk issued a new warning about the same AI technology in a video at the same VivaTech conference in Paris.
Daily Mail (UK) — Elon Musk makes frightening AI predictions and issues dire warnings about how the technology will harm kids.
“Musk pointed to Iain Banks’ Culture Book Series, a utopian portrayal of a society run by advanced technology, which he said was the most realistic and “best portrayal of the future of AI.”
“He questioned whether humans could be fulfilled in life without a job or a career.
“‘The question really becomes one of meaning: If computers and robots can do everything better than humans can, does life have meaning?'” he says. “I think there’s probably still a role for humans in terms of giving meaning to AI.”
“Musk also issued a warning to parents about letting their children use technology.”
Last year, Elon Musk quoted AI expert and ethicist Nell Watson and laid out a detailed timeline for when AI will be “smarter than any human” by the end of 2025.
Final thoughts
As we approach May 2024, the incredibly positive and all-consuming narrative around GenAI and AI for governments around the world continues. Everyone seems to realize they need to say “yes” to AI in the coming years or they will be deemed irrelevant and left behind in the government tech world.
At the same time, there is a lot of unease surrounding OpenAI’s announcement that it is disbanding its team working on long-term AI risks.
Who knows what the long-term outcome of this story will be, but for now, the tech community’s AI ship is moving full steam ahead, and we hope to avoid icebergs when we see them.
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