Discussing AI Policy with the UK Royal Society
On July 6th, 2023, a remarkable gathering of minds occurred under the banner of the UK Royal Society. A collection of academic and industry experts in artificial intelligence convened for a policy roundtable, to explore complex topics in AI development and potential government action in the UK. Among the participants was GPTZero, adding a unique perspective on AI regulation and adoption.
The event started with opening remarks from Andrew Blake, former lab director of Microsoft Research, and machine learning goat. He highlighted the evolving landscape of generative AI, with new entrants pushing the boundaries of what we thought possible. While applauding their success, Blake emphasized a concerning trend: the opaque methodologies and undisclosed results that are becoming all too common in this field.
“The new kids on the block are doing amazing things,” he said, “but not telling us what they are doing yet.” Blake’s remarks set the tone for intense discussions on transparency and accountability in AI.
Gary Markus, a well-known cognitive scientist, also had poignant comments. He stirred the intellectual pot by probing into the veracity and truthfulness of AI systems. In his view, AI's current status is akin to being a "jack-of-all-trades," where the systems are generally adept at a wide range of tasks but lack specialization. The AI's pursuit of broad competence, Markus believes, often comes at the expense of deep, nuanced understanding or performance.
Another hot topic was the friction between theoretical research and industry development. Many AI researchers voiced difficulties in building upon existing models like GPT4. Is research subject to the whims of an opaque API that might change tomorrow really research, or at best pseudoscience?
Andrew Blake expressed keen interest in our platform and new capabilities of GPTZero on verifying that your writing was human.
The policy roundtable hosted by the UK Royal Society on July 6th reaffirmed the necessity of regular and critical dialogues regarding AI's societal role. As we collectively charter the unknown terrain of an AI-dominant future, these policy discussions serve as our navigational tools, guiding our course of action.
Stay connected for more updates on AI policy. As always, we remain dedicated to fostering and contributing to the development of open, informed solutions to these critical issues.
