Since the development and deployment of the first atomic weapons in 1945, the original members of the so-called Nuclear Club — the United States, Soviet Russia, and communist China — have fiercely guarded the inner workings of their weaponry. After all, they were and still are rivals. Leaks remain severely punishable. The popular spy-novel phrase Top Secret emerged from all this forced mystery. The newest twist on Top Secret is not top secret at all, but is as potent as a bomb. All have come to know it, and many to depend on it, as AI, the seemingly harmless acronym for artificial intelligence. Like the web before it, AI is poised to open a vast frontier. But there are risks. Even Sam Altman, one of its godfathers, has pointed out AI’s potential dangers because, unlike any tool before it, it can extrapolate and improve on human knowledge. In the wrong hands, it could be used to develop pathogens, chemical poisons, and possibly nuclear-grade explosives. Make no mistake. The madding crowd includes chaos-minded actors. Imagine, if you will, a real-life Goldfinger or Darth Vader. Checks and filters are therefore vital. To which the White House says “halt!” Never mind an AI conscience, there is big money to be had. If any regulation is necessary, the Board of Peace CEO-president or his successor will take that responsibility.
Unfortunately, none of this comes close to monitoring advances that will very likely change the complexion of the planet. If AI is Superman, the world needs some sort of kryptonite, but given the stakes involved, no fail-safe seems near at hand. As my father once said with an unsettling prescience that now seems apt, “If you can see it on the horizon, it’s already too late.”