Elon Musk issues disturbing warning of ‘tsunami of AI’ coming to humanity

Elon Musk has issued a stark warning about artificial intelligence, saying a “tsunami of AI” is approaching and could pose major risks to humanity. He recently distanced himself from politics, ending his brief role in government.

Speaking at Y Combinator’s AI Startup School, Musk compared political efforts to cleaning a dirty beach, while AI is like a towering tsunami. He implied political noise distracts from the real danger AI may bring.

Musk believes we are on the verge of creating digital superintelligence, possibly within the next year. This rapid development has sparked growing concern among experts.

Geoffrey Hinton, often referred to as the “godfather of AI,” warned during a podcast interview that there’s a 20% chance AI could lead to human extinction. His comments echo broader concerns in the tech community.

Despite the grim outlook, Musk believes disaster can be avoided if AI is trained with accurate, truthful data. He emphasized that suppressing truth could make AI more dangerous.

He stressed the importance of truthfulness in AI systems, warning that forcing false beliefs on AI could have harmful consequences, especially if the data is politically influenced.

Musk also noted the intense hype around AI, with some startups receiving billion-dollar valuations quickly. Earlier this year, he remarked that while empathy may be a weakness of Western culture, AI should still possess empathy for humanity and life.