Societal ethicist Elmar Nass argues that advocating for a slowdown in the development of Artificial Intelligence is largely ineffective. Speaking to the “Rheinische Post,” Nass stated that the proposal to deliberately curb AI progress is impractical in reality, adding it hasn’t been a novel idea either. He critiques the notion, suggesting that the market is being disregarded by the moralizing stances adopted by the pioneers of technology. Furthermore, he warns that such a restriction would obstruct innovations that benefit humanity.
Nass raised significant questions about governance, questioning who should dictate the pace of development and how the entire process should be measured and controlled. He anticipates that certain actors and nations, such as China, will simply disregard any imposed limits to gain competitive advantages. In his view, these slowdown demands are merely superficial attempts to treat symptoms without addressing the fundamental issues at the root.
Instead of insisting on a deceleration, Nass advocates for implementing ethical guidelines within AI research and establishing international regulations. He insists that research must be ethically underpinned, a step that should commence immediately. Beyond guidelines, he proposes the establishment of international rules, including outright prohibitions, modeled after controls placed on various types of weaponry. These types of measures, he concludes, are those that can be immediately implemented.
