During Berkshire Hathaway’s annual shareholder meeting, Warren Buffett compared the development of AI to the rise of nuclear weapons, highlighting the dangers and potential for harm. Industry leaders like Jamie Dimon and Yale CEO Summit participants share similar apprehensions about AI’s implications for humanity and cybersecurity risks.
Warren Buffett, the 93-year-old co-founder and CEO of Berkshire Hathaway, expressed concerns regarding artificial intelligence (AI) during the annual shareholder meeting in Omaha, Nebraska. He likened the emergence of AI to the development of nuclear weapons, stating that AI is “part way out of the bottle.”
Buffett admitted his limited understanding of AI technology but noted its potential for both good and harm. He shared a personal experience where an AI tool convincingly replicated his image and voice, warning about the rising threat of AI-driven scams.
Greg Abel, Buffett’s expected successor, mentioned that Berkshire Hathaway has begun using AI to improve efficiency but did not provide specific details about its applications.
Buffett’s concerns are echoed by other industry leaders. JPMorgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon, in his annual shareholder letter, highlighted the significant yet uncertain impact of AI on business, the economy, and society. Dimon also noted an increase in cyberattacks using AI, illustrating the growing cybersecurity risks.
A survey by Yale CEO Summit revealed that 42% of CEOs believe AI could potentially destroy humanity within five to ten years. The survey included responses from leaders across various industries.
Additionally, prominent AI figures and tech leaders, including OpenAI CEO Sam Altman and Google executives, signed a statement emphasizing the need to prioritize mitigating AI’s potential extinction risks alongside other global threats such as pandemics and nuclear war.
