Musk thinks AI race could ignite WWIII

Tesla CEO Elon Musk is warning that the race to develop artificial intelligence could be the main cause for igniting a third world war, dismissing North Korea’s nuclear missile program as a serious threat relative to AI technology.

“China, Russia, soon all countries [with] strong computer science. Competition for AI superiority at national level most likely cause of [World War III in my opinion],” Musk said in series of tweets Monday.  

China, Russia, soon all countries w strong computer science. Competition for AI superiority at national level most likely cause of WW3 imo.

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) September 4, 2017

At a time of rising tensions with Pyongyang, Musk said the Hermit Kingdom “should be low on our list of concerns for civilizational existential risk,” adding that North Korea has “no entangling alliances that [would] polarize world into war.”

{mosads}The business magnate also said such a war could be started “not by the country leaders, but one of the AI’s, if it decides that a [pre-emptive] strike is [the] most probable path to victory.”

Should be low on our list of concerns for civilizational existential risk. NK has no entangling alliances that wd polarize world into war.

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) September 4, 2017

May be initiated not by the country leaders, but one of the AI’s, if it decides that a prepemptive strike is most probable path to victory

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) September 4, 2017

Musk, who previously warned in 2014 that AI poses an existential risk to humanity, argues that AI needs to be regulated because “by the time we are reactive in AI regulation, it’s too late.” 

“With artificial intelligence, we are summoning the demon. In all those stories where there’s the guy with the pentagram and the holy water, it’s like — yeah, he’s sure he can control the demon. Doesn’t work out,” Musk said at the U.S. National Governors Association meeting in Providence, R.I., in July, according to The Guardian.

Musk urged pre-emptive action. He said the government’s current process for introducing new regulations — wait for something bad to happen, and then act — would be dangerous bet with AI because of the risk it poses to the human race.