Humans Will Not Be Able to Police Emerging AI Systems

Former Google CEO Eric Schmidt cautioned that when an AI system reaches the point of self-improvement, "we seriously need to think about unplugging it."

AI developers insist they are working on fail-safe measures to prevent AI from going rogue and endangering humanity. Yet their first line of defense is... to physically unplug it? Like a toaster burning your bread—just unplug it?

That sounds more like a romantic horror comedy. As long as we avoid visiting the house by the lake on Friday the 13th, we’ll be fine. We can keep Godzilla at bay with a shock collar, right?

Schmidt explains that we'll soon have computers running on their own, "deciding what they want to do."

When AI systems begin to "self-improve," he continued, it may be time to consider pulling the plug. Asked if a powerful system could counter efforts to shut it down, Schmidt told ABC's George Stephanopoulos, "In theory, we better have somebody with a hand on the plug."

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The interview with ABC can be seen here.