Then came another surprising development. Sam Altman, the CEO of OpenAI, the organization that built the underlying technology used by Microsoft, called on the government to regulate his industry. In a Senate hearing, Altman warned of AI’s dangers and the need for government oversight. 

 

Since tech companies announced stunning advances in AI late last year, breakthroughs have come rapidly. ChatGPT, the chatbot created by OpenAI, and other applications based on large language models demonstrate human-like thinking. It is now clear that fully capable AGI systems are not far off. We want these intelligent machines to work for and with us, not against us. 

 

Tech industry leaders generally acknowledge that government has a role in regulating artificial intelligence usage, but it’s unclear what should be done and by whom. How do we control and limit the use of AI by people with malicious intentions? How do we regulate artificial intelligence without stunting innovation? 

 

It is wise to look to the past for guidance, especially to Isaac Asimov, the prolific science fiction writer who lived from 1920 to 1992. In the 1940s, even before the invention of the first electronic digital computers, Asimov began writing about robots—machines with human intelligence. In his 1942 short story, “Runaround,” he published what he called the Three Laws of Robotics: 

 

First Law: A robot may not harm a human being or, through inaction, allow a human being to come to harm. 

Second Law: A robot must obey the orders given it by human beings except where such orders would conflict with the First Law. 

Third Law: A robot must protect its own existence as long as such protection does not conflict with the First or Second Law. 

 

Asimov was a genius and a prophet. He viewed robots as tools built to help people. Artificial intelligence products and services introduced over the next few years will also be tools created by people. But, because people have different intentions, they will apply AI to every possible purpose–good, bad, and evil. The companies that create these new AI services must assume responsibility for their actions. Existing laws can be applied to AI, but they are insufficient to govern these products, and we need new legislation. Asimov’s Laws of Robotics provide foundational principles for future rules and regulations to ensure AI benefits society. 

 

In my view, the first step is to ensure that companies making AI products clearly explain their machines’ capabilities and are transparent about how their systems work. A second step is for companies that use AI systems—which will be almost every organization, eventually—to set internal standards for their use. I am encouraged to see some leading corporations embracing Responsible AI initiatives, including governance committees and policy adoption to ensure technologies’ ethical and responsible use. It might also be prudent for industries and academic domains to set general standards. 

 

Asimov’s first law prohibits the creation of autonomous suicide drones and other forms of killer robots, so this is one area where we need an agreement among nations. The use of AI in warfare should be considered a weapon of mass destruction. We will need something akin to the United Nations Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons to limit the use of killer robots. 

 

While there will be challenges and problems, I am confident that artificial intelligence is a powerful tool that will enrich our lives. However, additional concerns arise when AI advances to become an AGI with capabilities well beyond humans. Will we be able to control it?  

 

Again, we can look to Asimov for guidance. In Asimov’s later novels, robots are more sophisticated, and some have advanced to become what we would call an AGI today. These robots begin to play a major role in governing human society. Because the Three Laws control them, they are benevolent. But these super-intelligent robots realize that the three laws are insufficient. So, Asimov added the Zeroth Law, which is the founding principle we must use to build our future: 

 

Zeroth Law: A robot may not harm humanity, or, by inaction, allow humanity to come to harm.  

 

While the first three laws are relatively straightforward, Azimov’s Zeroth Law raises bigger-picture complexities and implications. Governments must develop new social contracts that ensure that intelligent machines’ objectives and actions align with humanity’s wellbeing. We must treat the entities we create as partners in a shared future.  

 

It’s an important time for industry, government, academia, and leaders in ethics and religion to think deeply about the future. Around the globe, different countries, cultures, and values will influence AI’s development. We’ll get exactly what we build, so it’s up to modern society to guide that process. Asimov gives us guidance, let’s follow his lead.