With 'superhuman' artificial intelligence looming, Canada needs law now: AI pioneer
CTV
Yoshua Bengio, dubbed a "godfather" of AI, told members of Parliament Monday that Ottawa should put a law in place immediately, even if that legislation is not perfect.
The federal government must move urgently to regulate artificial intelligence, says a top AI pioneer, warning the technology's current trajectory poses major societal risks.
Yoshua Bengio, dubbed a "godfather" of AI, told members of Parliament Monday that Ottawa should put a law in place immediately, even if that legislation is not perfect.
The scientific director at Mila, the Quebec AI Institute, says a "superhuman" intelligence that is as smart as a human being could be developed within the next two decades — or even the next few years.
"We’re not ready," Bengio said.
One short-term risk of AI is the use of deepfake videos to spread disinformation, he said. They use AI to make it look as though a public figure is saying something they didn't, or doing something that never happened.
The technology can also be used to interact with people through text or dialogue "in a way that can fool a social-media user and make them change their mind on political questions," said Bengio.
"There’s real concern about use of AI in politically oriented ways that go against the principles of our democracy."
