Konstantin von Notz, a vice-chair of the Green Party faction, is issuing a severe warning about the potential for artificial intelligence (AI) to threaten humanity’s existence, and is calling upon politicians to act swiftly. In a guest article published on the T-Online news portal, von Notz, along with his office manager Jörn Pohl, argues that politically there is no longer a choice but to address this danger.
Given the urgency of the situation, they propose that society may be forced to declare a moratorium on new AI applications, stating that the current circumstances are “very serious.” They emphasize that it is the responsibility and duty of those in political office to collaborate, taking all possible measures to control this emerging technology or prevent its uncontrolled unleashing.
The authors stress that the legislature must create an international regulatory framework. They warn that the survival of humanity should not be left to the “goodwill and whims of a handful of tech oligarchs.” While admitting they are not yet at a point of no return, they assert that they stand “on a cliff, looking into the abyss.”
Von Notz and Pohl further insist that humanity must learn from the regulatory shortcomings of the past two decades, particularly the comprehensive lack of digital governance. They argue that this failure has already destabilized democratic nations worldwide and caused a massive power shift between states and the private sector, raising fundamental questions about access and fairness.
The commentators demand that a genuine societal debate regarding the potential consequences of AI take place as quickly as possible. Crucially, they require new international agreements that establish immediate minimum standards, backed by an independent body for monitoring compliance. They suggest that the United Nations is currently the only institution with the necessary backing to coordinate this process internationally. Furthermore, they argue that AI laboratories must be overseen more diligently than they are currently.
Finally, Notz asserts that it is unacceptable-and should never be socially accepted-to be relegated to reading corporate reports every few months that describe how narrowly we have avoided “a real catastrophe.” He concludes by stating that “politics and societies have handed the reins of control over to astonishing naivety.”
