Google CEO Sundar Pichai has cautioned that society must prepare for the wide-ranging effects of rapidly developing artificial intelligence (AI), which could reshape all industries. Pichai considers AI to be the most profound technology that humanity is working on, surpassing even fire and electricity. While he believes that AI regulations must align with human values, Pichai notes that it is not up to a company to make such rules. Rather, social scientists, ethicists, philosophers, and others must be involved in the development of AI, alongside engineers. Pichai also thinks that society is not yet ready for some high-power AI systems, as the pace of technological evolution is faster than that of societal institutions. AI will impact every product across every company, and knowledge workers such as writers, architects, accountants, and software engineers may find their roles disrupted. For example, radiologists could have an AI collaborator to help them prioritize cases.
Google is now building a new search engine called "Magi," powered by AI, to compete with other search engines that have already incorporated AI technology. The platform will be more personalized than the current engine, and it aims to anticipate users’ requests. The project involves a team of engineers, executives, and others. In March, Google released an AI chatbot called "Bard" to a limited audience, but it did not receive the same acclaim as OpenAI’s ChatGPT chatbot. Microsoft’s Bing announced earlier this year that its software engine would include ChatGPT technology.
Controversy over AI technology gained international attention in March when thousands of tech experts, leaders, and others signed an open letter calling for a six-month pause on creating powerful AI systems. Elon Musk and Steve Wozniak were among the prominent signatories who warned that "human-competitive intelligence can pose profound risks to society and humanity." Despite the concerns, Musk has since started a new AI company called X.AI, according to recent business filings in Nevada.