Microsoft President Dismisses Fears Over Super-Intelligent AI

In a recent discussion with British reporters, Brad Smith, Microsoft’s esteemed president, downplayed the notion of super-intelligent AI being just around the corner. Smith firmly believes that this level of advanced AI, also known as artificial general intelligence (AGI), won’t materialize in the upcoming 12 months.

“There’s absolutely no probability that you’re going to see this so-called AGI, where computers are more powerful than people, in the next 12 months. It’s going to take years, if not many decades, but I still think the time to focus on safety is now.”

Brad Smith, Microsoft President, via Reuters

When questioned if a particular discovery played a role in Altman’s dismissal, Smith responded by downplaying any such association. He emphasized that the reason for Altman’s exit didn’t principally stem from a concern of this nature. Instead, he pointed toward there being a clear difference of opinion between the board and others, which he suggests was the actual reason.

According to insiders confiding in Reuters, a particular warning issued to OpenAI’s board about a “dangerous discovery they feared could have unintended consequences” was merely one element in a broader array of complaints that culminated in Altman’s dismissal. Other concerns included rushing to monetize technological advancements before appropriately evaluating their associated risks.

Originally, it was thought that an internally titled project Q* (pronounced “Q-Star”) at OpenAI might represent a significant advancement for the startup in its hunt for the artificial general intelligence phenomenon. AGI is characterized by OpenAI as independent systems that excel and outdo human capabilities in the majority of tasks that hold significant economic value.

“What we really need are safety brakes. Just like you have a safety break in an elevator, a circuit breaker for electricity, an emergency brake for a bus — there ought to be safety breaks in AI systems that control critical infrastructure, so that they always remain under human control.”

Brad Smith, Microsoft President, via Reuters