Elon Musk and Rishi Sunak to Convene to Address AI Risks

British PM Rishi Sunak and the world’s wealthiest individual, Elon Musk, are set to engage in a discussion regarding the perils associated with artificial intelligence. This conversation between the two influential figures will transpire on Musk’s platform, X (formerly Twitter), following the conclusion of the AI safety summit on Thursday.

In anticipation of the forthcoming discussion with Musk, PM Sunak shared the following update: “Engaging in a conversation with @elonmusk. Taking place on @x following the AI Safety Summit on Thursday night.”

The AI Safety Summit, scheduled for November 1 and 2, has a primary objective of assessing the hazards linked to artificial intelligence and establishing a global consensus on its secure advancement, as reported by Reuters.

Aides to PM Sunak have presented the forthcoming conversation with Musk as an indication of the growing influence of the AI Safety Summit. According to Bloomberg, which cited insights from three UK government officials, there is also a possibility that Musk may participate in the summit, slated to be held at Bletchley Park.

Musk’s involvement would further elevate the summit’s prominence, which already boasts a high-profile guest list of 100 attendees, including world leaders like US Vice President Kamala Harris and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni.

Additionally, prominent business figures, such as Microsoft’s Brad Smith, Meta Global Affairs President Nick Clegg, Google DeepMind’s James Manyika, and Demis Hassabis, are among the summit’s participants.

Addressing the potential risks posed by AI, Sunak expressed his concerns last week, stating (as reported by Reuters): “Miscalculations in this field could make it easier to create chemical or biological weapons… and in the most remote but severe scenarios, there is a risk of humanity losing control over AI entirely.”

Musk, a key figure in the establishment of the artificial intelligence firm OpenAI, had previously advocated for a temporary halt in AI advancement, expressing concerns about potential societal risks. However, he later proceeded to launch his own AI venture known as xAI.

In a Twitter Spaces discussion earlier this year, Musk shared his perspective: “If it attempted to truly comprehend the essence of the universe, that’s the best outcome I can envision from an AI safety standpoint. I believe it will be in favor of humanity because humanity is inherently more captivating than its alternative.”