REGULATING ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE

As we approach the brink of an artificial intelligence explosion, many countries have stepped back and let the scientists experiment with little to no guidelines. From anywhere to robots, computer algorithms, and autonomous weapons there is not much regulation to prevent something from going wrong. In my opinion, the biggest concern with AI is the creation of autonomous weapons, which once activation can choose and engage targets without having a human operate the computer.

(Dormino) 

Estimations by Financial Times concluded that a least 42 countries have recognized that the advancements of AI are going to be leading the world into a new era and are gearing their economy towards the success that AI will have. Most AI regulations around the world are being discussed about investment rather than governance.

So far, as reported by Forbes, China, the U.S., and India have taken a laid back approach and let corporations govern themselves. As for the UK and Europe, a more regulatory approach has been established. In specific, the UK has created many government-funded groups exploring AI governance and published many reports bout AI policy and what should be done to regulate it. 

There are several possible reasons for why some countries are not regulating the advancements of AI. Most importantly, countries don't want to fall behind in the race. To countries, it is a race to who can create the technology that will make them a world power. With restrictions on advancing this technology, likely, these countries won't be a world power.

Another possible reason why regulations have not been implemented is that the amount of time it takes to make a decision. In the U.S., Congress has to approve a bill before it can become a law. It may sound like a simple task but Congress is divided and indecisive which often causes bills to take a long time to be passed. It could be that some countries are in the works of creating regulations around AI but it is taking a long time to do so. Also, the U.S. Congress has drafted bills for regulations of AI but they have never been discussed. For example, as reported by Forbes, under the Obama presidency a bill was drafted and prepared to be discussed in Congress but never was.

There are fair reasons for why regulations aren't being implemented in countries but isn't it better to be safe than sorry? In my opinion, there are bigger problems that countries should be worried about other than being a world power. If there is no world to live on in 20 years than what good will have come from the advancements of AI unless they can transfer us to a new planet.



Works Cited

Dormino, Marc. UN Photo with Autonomous Weapons . 2019 . UN News , United

     Nations , 25 Mar. 2019 , news.un.org/en/story/2019/03/1035381. Accessed 13

     Dec. 2019.

Insights Team. "Wrestling With AI Governance Around The World." Forbes , 27 Mar.

     2019 , www.forbes.com/sites/insights-intelai/2019/03/27/

     wrestling-with-ai-governance-around-the-world/#266672e21766. Accessed 11

     Dec. 2019.

Murgia, Madhumita, and Siddarth Shirkanth. "How governments are beginning to

     regulate AI ." Financial Times , 29 May 2019 , www.ft.com/content/

     025315e8-7e4d-11e9-81d2-f785092ab560. Accessed 11 Dec. 2019.