This week in an extensive discussion on Georgetown Universitysenator Bernie Sanders (I-Vt) and AI pioneer Geoffrey Hinton warned that artificial intelligence can improve lives – but only if it is controlled by people whose interests extend beyond those of technology billionaires.
Sanders wonders who AI will really benefit
During a public forum, Sanders argued that the key question is not whether AI is good or bad, but who has the power to shape it.
He pointed to the massive investments from major technology leaders and questioned whether the future they envision meets the needs of everyday workers.
Sanders wondered if anyone actually believes in “the richest people on earth,” referring to Tesla Inc. (NASDAQ: TSLA) CEO Elon Musk and Amazon.com, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMZN) founder Jeff Bezosare pouring billions into AI to shorten the workweek, expand access to healthcare or tackle climate change.
“Do you think that’s what Mr. Musk and Mr. Bezos have in mind?” he said. “Probably not.”
He said that while AI and robotics can reduce hazardous labor and increase productivity, the benefits often do not reach workers. He cites recent union negotiations pushing for a 32-hour workweek as an example of companies resisting shared profits.
See also: Jeff Bezos always convinced the iPad wasn’t a ‘Kindle killer’ and he’s still turning the page on Apple: ‘You don’t understand my audience’
Hinton warns that politics, not technology, is the danger
Hinton, widely known as the “godfather of AI,” offered an optimistic but cautious view. He said powerful AI systems could one day handle most of the work, but the outcome would depend on political structures designed to protect people, not exploit them.
He told the audience that if society were organized for the “benefit of the people,” developing advanced AI would be an obvious choice. But in systems driven by profit and power, he warned, rapid automation could increase inequality.
Hinton argued that AI should be built to prioritize human well-being – likening the ideal dynamic to a mother caring for a child – and said researchers should focus on designing systems that care more about people than themselves.
White House watches national norms amid Chinese fears
This comes after it was reported earlier this week that the president Donald Trump is considering an executive order that would give Washington sweeping power over AI surveillance.
He is stepping up efforts to curb state authority, just a day after warning that China could surpass the US in the AI race.
Earlier this month it was reported that Silicon Valley is investing unprecedented amounts of money into artificial intelligence. The ‘Magnificent Seven’ – Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL), Microsoft Corp (NASDAQ:MSFT), Alphabet Inc. (NASDAQ:GOOGL) (NASDAQ:GOOG)Amazon, Metaplatforms, Inc. (NASDAQ:META) (NASDAQ:META), Nvidia Corp (NASDAQ:NVDA) and Tesla – are expected to spend nearly $400 billion on AI infrastructure this year.
That figure amounts to about half of expected U.S. GDP growth in 2025, according to a new analysis from Sparkline Capital.
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