Friday, July 11, 2014

California Lieutenant Governor Gavin Newsom takes a cautious, balanced, contextual approach to #runawayAI



Gavin Newsom, the Lieutenant Governor of the State of California, is a leader among electeds in the attention he has paid to the role of technology in the future of government, and as a means to make governance more participatory and democratic.  He is the author of Citizenville, available from Amazon, at:


Given his interest and involvement in these issues, Etopia News contacted the Golden State’s second-highest constitutional officer and asked “if he had any comments to add to an article/blog post…about government regulation of ‘strong AI,’ as it is being developed by Google, Facebook, IBM, Vicarious, Amazon, Apple, and others.”  The inquiry continued:

“The threat of #runawayAI is moving from science fiction to science fact, according to some, such as James Barrat, as spelled out at:


“Any comments from the Lt. Gov. on whether and how “strong AI” needs to be regulated would be greatly appreciated.”

Today, Lt. Gov. Newsom responded in comprehensive and measured tones:

Innovation is the framework of our growth and existence. During the Industrial Revolution we saw an expansion of transportation, the harnessing of electricity and improvements to the industrial process, which revolutionized the world. Now, it's smartphone apps, driverless cars and drones being used to make deliveries that are taking it a step further to change the way we live. While there is a lot of fear in what's taking place, it is up to lawmakers to create a regulatory framework that protects citizens. However, it should also ensure adequate flexibility for innovation and alternative solutions. "




           


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