OpenAI Considers Democratic Decision-Making for AI Policy

OpenAI, the creator of ChatGPT, is exploring ways to gather diverse input on decisions affecting its artificial intelligence, according to the company’s president, Greg Brockman. Speaking at the AI Forward event in San Francisco, Brockman discussed OpenAI’s efforts to regulate AI globally and revealed plans to adopt a collaborative approach to AI policy.

Democratic Decision-Making for AI Policy

OpenAI’s president, Greg Brockman, has announced that the company is exploring democratic decision-making for AI policy. Brockman compared the concept to Wikipedia, which relies on people with diverse views to agree on entries. OpenAI’s goal is to ensure that AI policy decisions are not made solely by Silicon Valley experts but instead involve a broad range of opinions.

Global Coordination for AI Safety

OpenAI has suggested that governments worldwide should coordinate to ensure safe AI development. The company proposes that a body similar to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) could place restrictions on AI deployment, vet compliance with safety standards, and track computing power usage. OpenAI’s concern is that AI technology has the potential to create deepfake images and other forms of misinformation.

Limiting Growth of AI Capabilities

OpenAI has proposed a global agreement to limit the annual growth of frontier AI capabilities. The company suggests that major governments could participate in a joint global project to achieve this goal. OpenAI’s CEO, Sam Altman, has also suggested ideas to US lawmakers for setting guardrails for AI. These include requiring licenses to develop the most sophisticated AI models and establishing a related governance regime. Altman is currently visiting European policymakers to discuss these proposals.

OpenAI is actively seeking input on decisions that affect its AI technology. The company is exploring democratic decision-making, global coordination for AI safety, and limiting the growth of frontier AI capabilities. OpenAI’s efforts reflect growing concern over the potential risks of AI technology and the need for collaborative efforts to regulate its development.