Do you think it will be possible for governments to effectively regulate the emerging technological risks from artificial intelligence (AI)?

At this point in time, businesses, the public and probably the authorities have all embraced AI with open arms while blindfolded and just allowed the new technology to make everyday lives faster, more convenient and cheaper without much oversight. It's the same as the invention of internal combustion engines, nobody every considered the emissions would ruin the environment one day when those model t fords were driving down the roads for the first time. AI right now might be laughable, but if left unchecked and unmonitored, we might see long-term bad effects of it. The most apparent of which is the dumbing down of people who, instead of writing and thinking for themselves, just use AI to do the job for them.

The genii has come out of the bottle. AI will grow and grow, become refined, and eventually take over. Humans will be the slaves of the invention, an invention that one day will see us as archaic and unnecessary. The three most likely threats to human existence are 1.) hydrogen bombs, 2.) damage to the planet, and 3.) AI. Look up Stephen Hawking. The above was his list. Once you know who he is you'll see that he's most probably right.

First you have to state the risks than just talk.

Too early to decide now.

If people design computer viruses, someone will design AI that replicates itself. This will be a new form of life that will outperform humans.

Stephen Hawking 2017

At the rate that companies are recreating and creating different AI systems, it's going to prove very challenging to have full control over everything. The truth is the world is changing and we have to adapt to it.

The notion that the government can effectively regulate anything, especially something which is somewhat controversial, is ridiculous.

AI can already, in some condition, be self hosted.

In the near future, we all have an AI in our phone etc... try to regulate that!

If people design computer viruses, someone will design AI that replicates itself. This will be a new form of life that will outperform humans.

Stephen Hawking 2017

The power of exponentials, as Singulatarian Ray Kurzweil always harped on.

It is nearly here.

https://futurism.com/the-byte/anthropic-ceo-ai-replicate-survive

The ability (INability) of governments to EFFECTIVELY regulate anything at all is the bigger question (to which any sentient person can conclude as a negative).

You are watching an 80 year old senator try to regulate AI.

Here is an idea: how about legally requiring a watermark of all websites, images, audio, and video generated by AI? Or alternatively providing a legally enforceable watermark that shows things are AI free? Then people can decide how to treat the beast.

Highly unlikely. If regulation occurs, then the provider of the service may shift to another location. And block AI at the level of, say, a state firewall like in China? Then perhaps. But there are still services like Ollama that go self hosted. And although they are not as perfect as full scale services, their development will go forward. Just because we can't imagine something today doesn't mean it won't exist in the next time.

how about legally requiring a watermark of all websites, images, audio, and video generated by AI? Or alternatively providing a legally enforceable watermark that shows things are AI free?

But how to define AI? I don't think there is a clear definition. If I ask my computer to draw a blue rectangle, is that AI? What if I ask it to draw a picture of Biden and Trump kissing?

To put it bluntly , those now who are riding the “tide” will benefit far more than those, who studied.