Navigating the Future: The Promise and Peril of Artificial Intelligence

Friday - January 19 2024, 16:59 UTC - 10 months ago

The World Economic Forum in Davos has brought the conversation around AI to a more sober level, with discussions on topics such as regulation and the potential impact on jobs. With speakers like UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres and China's Premier Li Qiang, global leaders are addressing the need for a coordinated approach to AI governance. While some, like Microsoft President Brad Smith, remain optimistic about the future of AI, there is also a focus on including the perspectives of the Global South. AI experts, including Marietje Schaake and Saptarshi Guha, are working towards developing guidelines to steer the development and use of AI in a responsible and inclusive manner.

As the global elites gathered in Davos for the World Economic Forum, the phrase on everyone's lips was 'artificial intelligence'. The excitement that characterized 2023 has given way to a more cautious approach in 2024, as people grapple with how to harness the benefits of AI while mitigating its risks. This shift in mindset can be seen in the various conversations and discussions that took place at Davos, where participants talked about everything from AI regulation to the possibility of Donald Trump returning as US president .

The presence of tech giants like Google, Meta, and Microsoft, with their top executives in tow, only served to highlight the growing influence and potential of AI. In particular, the emergence of ChatGPT in late 2022 caught the attention of the world with its capabilities of generating expressive content and even passing medical and legal exams. This led to a heightened focus on AI regulation, with major economies like China, the EU, and the US all passing or working on legislation to protect individuals from AI's potential dangers while promoting innovation .