'We are facing a perfect storm:' NYU Professor during AI hearing at US Congress

''We have unprecedented opportunities here, but we are also facing a perfect storm of corporate irresponsibility, widespread deployment, lack of adequate regulation and inherent unreliability. AI is among the most world-changing technologies ever, already changing things more rapidly than almost any technology in history,'' Marcus said.

During opening remarks, IBM Chief Privacy & Trust Officer Christina Montgomery said the systems 'were within our control' today. She urged Congress to focus regulation on areas with the potential to do the greatest societal harm.

''The era of AI cannot be another era of moving fast and breaking things, but we don't have to slam the brakes on innovation either. These systems are within our control today, as are the solutions. What we need at this pivotal moment is clear, reasonable policy and sound guardrails,'' she said.

Sam Altman, the CEO of OpenAI, the startup behind ChatGPT, said AI would impact jobs.

''So there will be an impact on jobs. We try to be very clear about that. And I think it will require a partnership between the industry and the government, but mostly action by the government to figure out how we want to mitigate that. But I'm very optimistic about how great the jobs of the future will be,'' Altman said.

He told a Senate panel on the use of artificial intelligence to interfere with election integrity is a "significant area of concern," adding that it needs regulation.

"I am nervous about it," CEO Sam Altman said about elections and AI, adding rules and guidelines are needed.

Senator Mazie Hirono noted the danger of misinformation as the 2024 election nears. She mentioned a picture of former President Trump being arrested by NYPD that went viral.

Altman mentioned that creators should make it clear when an image is generated rather than factual.

Speaking before Congress for the first time, Altman suggested that, in general, the US should consider licensing and testing requirements for the development of AI models.

Altman asked to opine on which AI should be subject to licensing, said a model that can persuade or manipulate a person's beliefs would be an example of a "great threshold."

He also said companies should have the right to say they do not want their data used for AI training, which is one idea being discussed on Capitol Hill. Altman said, however, that material on the public web would be fair game.

Altman also said he "wouldn't say never" to the idea of advertising but preferred a subscription-based model.

For months, companies large and small have raced to bring increasingly dexterous AI to market, throwing endless data and billions of dollars at the challenge. Some critics fear the technology will exacerbate societal harms, among them prejudice and misinformation, while others warn AI could end humanity itself.

The White House has convened top technology CEOs including Altman to address AI. US lawmakers likewise are seeking action to further the technology's benefits and national security while limiting its misuse. Consensus is far from certain.

An OpenAI staffer recently proposed the creation of a US licensing agency for AI, which could be called the Office for AI Safety and Infrastructure Security, or OASIS, Reuters has reported.

OpenAI is backed by Microsoft Corp MSFT.O. Altman is also calling for global cooperation on AI and incentives for safety compliance.

Reuters