Last month, the IMD Business School launched its AI Safety Clock, with the goal of "mak[ing] clear that the dangers of uncontrolled AGI (artificial general intelligence) are real and present" according to TONOMUS Global Center for Digital and AI Transformation Director Michael Wade.Last month, the IMD Business School launched its AI Safety Clock, with the goal of "mak[ing] clear that the dangers of uncontrolled AGI (artificial general intelligence) are real and present," according to its creator, IMD professor Michael Wade.
The clock, currently with a reading of 29 minutes to midnight, claims to monitor three key factors: AI sophistication, AI autonomy, and AI physical integration. These factors are stated to be monitored via information from over 1K websites and nearly 3.5K news feeds.The clock, which currently sits at 29 minutes to midnight, claims to monitor three key factors: AI sophistication, autonomy, and physical integration. They will be monitored via information from over 1K websites and nearly 3.5K news feeds.
IMD states that the clock is "inspired" by the "Doomsday Clock" – a tool first established by the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists in 1947 to "convey threats to humanity and the planet." In comparison, as of Jan. 2024 the Doomsday Clock is set to 90 seconds to midnight – the same as 2023 and down from two minutes to midnight in 2019.IMD said the clock is "inspired" by the "Doomsday Clock," which was first established by the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists in 1947 to "convey threats to humanity and the planet." As of Jan. 2024, the Doomsday Clock is set to 90 seconds to midnight.
The AI Safety Clock is a symbolic attempt to highlight the urgent need for domestic and international actors alike to wake up and finally acknowledge the real risks that new technology poses upon the world. Whilst there is still time to avoid disaster, it is imperative that humanity acts now before we have passed the point of return.
A Saudi-backed business school's newly-released AI Safety Clock is yet another example of sensationalist AI doomerism. Ironically, the very same month that the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientist's debunked outrageous claims of AI hyperbole have IBM cheaply recreated their Doomsday Clock without any scientific justification for its existence.