ChatGPT’s creators say AI Super Intelligence is impossible to stop
Since we haven't created an ASI yet we could stop AI development today to prevent one from appearing so what the creators mean is that we (Humanity) won't stop. And that's different from can't.
Key takeaways
- One potential way to prevent AI harms like election manipulation would be by introducing licensing and testing requirements for the development of AI, Altman said.
- One possibility, according to OpenAI, is through the creation of a US licensing agency for AI called the Office for AI Safety and Infrastructure Security (Oasis).
Cite or link to this article
Griffin, M. (2023) 'ChatGPT’s creators say AI Super Intelligence is impossible to stop', 311 Institute, 25 May. Available at: https://www.311institute.com/chatgpts-creators-say-ai-super-intelligence-is-impossible-to-stop/ (Accessed: 1 October 2026).
OpenAI, the Artificial Intelligence (AI) firm behind the hit ChatGPT, has warned that the arrival of AI “that surpasses humans” is unavoidable.
Artificial General Intelligence (AGI), also known as super intelligence, has been theorised by philosophers and academics for decades, though rapid advances in recent years mean we may now be on the cusp of it, senior figures within OpenAI warned.
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In a blog post published on Wednesday, OpenAI’s Sam Altman, Greg Brockman and Ilya Sutskever said that AI superintelligence will be unprecedented in its power – both positive and negative.
“Given the picture as we see it now, it’s conceivable that within the next ten years AI systems will exceed expert skill level in most domains, and carry out as much productive activity as one of today’s largest corporations,” the post stated.
“In terms of both potential upsides and downsides, super intelligence will be more powerful than other technologies humanity has had to contend with in the past.”
OpenAI laid out three ways humanity can navigate the arrival of super intelligence, though warned lawmakers and regulators against trying to stop it.
“We believe it would be unintuitively risky and difficult to stop the creation of super intelligence,” the post warned.
“Because the upsides are so tremendous, the cost to build it decreases each year, the number of actors building it is rapidly increasing, and it’s inherently part of the technological path we are on, stopping it would require something like a global surveillance regime, and even that isn’t guaranteed to work. So we have to get it right.”
Altman appeared before a congressional hearing last week to face questions from US senators about the risks that advanced AI poses.
The 38-year-old told the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Privacy, Technology and the Law that he believed AI-powered chatbots like ChatGPT were a “significant area of concern” and required rules and guidelines to prevent misuse.
“There’s no way to put this genie in the bottle. Globally, this is exploding,” Democratic Senator Cory Booker acknowledged.
One potential way to prevent AI harms like election manipulation would be by introducing licensing and testing requirements for the development of AI, Altman said.
One possibility, according to OpenAI, is through the creation of a US licensing agency for AI called the Office for AI Safety and Infrastructure Security (Oasis).
FAQ
Why does this matter?
Since we haven't created an ASI yet we could stop AI development today to prevent one from appearing so what the creators mean is that we (Humanity) won't stop. And that's different from can't.
About the author
Matthew Griffin Founder, 311 Institute
Matthew Griffin is a multi-award winning Futurist and expert in Disruption and Innovation, Geopolitics, Leadership, and Technology, who NASA have described as a "walking encyclopaedia of the future" and a "futurist Polymath."
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Matthew Griffin is a multi-award winning Futurist and expert in Disruption and Innovation, Geopolitics, Leadership, and Technology, who NASA have described as a "walking encyclopaedia of the future" and a "futurist Polymath." 15-time best selling author of the "Codex of the Future" series, Matthew is the Founder and Futurist in Chief of the 311 Institute, a global Futures and Deep Futures advisory firm working with royal households, world leaders, G7, G20, and G77 governments, NGOs, and multi-national mid and mega cap firms to help them explore, shape, and lead the next 50 years of business and society.
An award-winning YouTube creator with over a million followers, with an unrivalled global reach and impact, Matthew is a highly sought-after international keynote speaker, lecturer, and mentor who collaborates with global leaders through the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC) and United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) to shape pivotal initiatives such as the UN’s AI for Humanity program, the United Nations Conference of the Parties (UN COP), and the World Economic Forum in Davos.
As the former Global Head of Cloud, National Security, and Enterprise Sales for companies including Atos, Dell-EMC, and IBM, Matthew has a proven track record of building multi-billion dollar business units and turning failing divisions into market leaders. His ability to identify, analyse, and communicate the implications of hundreds of emerging technologies and trends is unparalleled, and his insights are trusted by many of the world’s most respected organisations, including ABB, Accenture, Adidas, AON, ARM, BCG, Centrica, Citi, Coca-Cola, Dentons, Deloitte, Dow Jones, EY, Google, KPMG, Lego, Legal & General, LinkedIn, Microsoft, PepsiCo, Qualcomm, RWE, Samsung, Siemens AG and Siemens Energy, T-Mobile, UBS, VISA, Walmart, Workday, Worldpay and many others.
Regularly featured in the global media including the AP, BBC, Bloomberg, CNBC, Discovery, Forbes, Khaleej Times, Telegraph, TIME, ViacomCBS, WIRED, and the WSJ, Matthews mission is to help organisations create a fair and sustainable future whose benefits are shared by everyone irrespective of their ability, background, or circumstances.
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Sources and further reading
- Governance of superintelligence openai.com
Source: first published by the 311 Institute on 25 May 2023. Cite as: Griffin, M. (2023). ChatGPT’s creators say AI Super Intelligence is impossible to stop. 311 Institute. https://www.311institute.com/chatgpts-creators-say-ai-super-intelligence-is-impossible-to-stop/
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