AI threatens jobs and election certainty, warns Congress.

AI: The Bomb in the China Shop

Experts Warn of Massive Disruptions in American Job Sector and Fraught Election Cycles

Congress has heard that Artificial Intelligence (AI) will drive massive disruptions in the American job sector and contribute to much more fraught election cycles as new platforms allow for increased manipulation of voters. The explosion of popularly available AI tools like ChatGPT will profoundly affect society as early as next year, experts and senators said during a May 16 hearing of the Senate Subcommittee on Privacy, Technology, and the Law.

Subcommittee Chair Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) referred to the proliferation of AI as a “bomb in a China shop,” warning that the “looming new industrial revolution” could displace millions of American workers and dramatically undermine public safety and trust in key institutions. “[These dangers] are no longer fantasies of science fiction. They are real. They are present,” Blumenthal said. “Sensible safeguards are not in opposition to innovation.”

To that end, Blumenthal said the hearing’s purpose was to “demystify and hold accountable these new technologies” and “intended to write the rules of AI” before it was too late.

The Printing Press or the Atom Bomb?

Subcommittee Ranking Member Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) agreed that AI presented a profound threat to national security and stability, and that its sudden proliferation in the public sphere was a revolution that would only continue to be dwarfed in coming years just as smartphones have dwarfed the clunky mobile phones of 30 years ago. “A year ago, we couldn’t have had this hearing because this technology had not burst onto the public consciousness,” Hawley said. “[Now,] We could be looking at one of the most significant technological human inventions in human history.”

With that in mind, Hawley said that Congress was essentially faced with the task of determining what type of revolution AI would usher in. On the one hand, there was the example of the printing press, which served as a harbinger for a more empowered civilization and increased liberty throughout Europe. Conversely, there was the example of the atom bomb, whose creation continues to haunt the nations of the world today. “What kind of technology will this be?” Hawley said. “The answer has not yet been written.”

AI Will Shape Elections, Job Opportunities

Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI, which developed ChatGPT, testified that the likelihood AI would be used to sway the results of the next election was high. Government regulation, he added, was a necessary intervention to limit such destabilizing activities. “We have tried to be very clear about the magnitude of risks here,” Altman said. “Given that we’re going to face an election next year … I do think some regulation would be quite wise on this topic. … It’s one of my areas of greatest concern.”

Citing a report that found AI can predict opinion poll results before they even happen, Hawley warned that such a technology would almost certainly be leveraged by politicians and special interest groups in upcoming elections. How better to elicit emotional responses from their audiences, Hawley said, than by effectively using AI to finetune their psychological manipulation?

Conclusion

The rise of AI is a double-edged sword. While it has the potential to revolutionize society and improve our lives, it also poses significant risks that must be addressed. As Congress works to determine the rules of AI, it is crucial that we remain vigilant and proactive in mitigating the potential harms of this powerful technology.

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