Bloomberg reported that more than 200 scholars and AI experts, including 16 Nobel laureates, have jointly signed a statement initiated by economists such as Erik Brynjolfsson, calling on society to further study the potential impacts of AI. The signatories believe that AI may become "much more powerful" in the next decade and must be guided towards developing in a way that benefits humanity.

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The scale of change will surpass the Industrial Revolution

The joint statement pointed out that AI may trigger an unprecedented economic transformation, with a scale exceeding the Industrial Revolution, but it will be completed in much less time. AI has the potential to improve living standards, but it may also bring risks such as large-scale job losses. Therefore, necessary safeguards must be set up to ensure that AI is used to assist workers and benefit the entire society.

This joint statement was organized by Erik Brynjolfsson, Ajay Agrawal, Anton Korinek, and Tom Cunningham. It also includes Charles I. Jones, an economist from Stanford University who was recently selected for the Federal Reserve's AI Impact Working Group. The strong lineup highlights the high level of attention from the academic community regarding the impact of AI.

AI capabilities have advanced beyond the scientific community's understanding

Previously, the United Nations' independent AI scientific group also released its first report, warning that while AI development creates great opportunities, it also brings significant risks. The report pointed out that the progress of AI capabilities has exceeded the scientific community's understanding and the speed at which governments can adjust policies. Currently, there are still few available control measures for highly autonomous AI systems.

The two reports complement each other, sending a clear signal: policymakers need to govern AI based on scientific evidence, finding a balance between promoting technological innovation and preventing systemic risks, otherwise human society will face insufficient preparedness.