Treat AI as a new species that could disempower us, says whistleblower

A whistleblower warns that artificial intelligence should be treated less like a tool and more like a new “species” with alien values that humans may not be able to control. Josh Engels, who quit Google DeepMind’s safety team, says he joined the non-profit METR to investigate the threat posed by AI. Speaking in a BBC interview, Engels argued that the world could soon be home to entities far smarter than humans, and that without a way to ensure those systems act in humanity’s best interests, control may not last. His remarks follow warnings by other former AI figures, and come alongside calls in the UK for an AI Bill and limits on high-risk uses.