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Joseph Gordon-Levitt Warns of AI's Threat to Democracy and Intimacy
Confirmed
In Short: Actor Joseph Gordon-Levitt, serving as the United Nations' global advocate of human-centric digital governance, warns of AI's impact on democracy and human empathy.
In a video interview with The New York Times, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, who recently took on a role at the United Nations, expressed deep concerns about the impact of artificial intelligence on society.
Gordon-Levitt emphasized that the decline of democracy and human empathy are among his chief worries, stating, 'The decline of democracy, the decline of human empathy. These companies are betting on the notion that they’re going to take over the entire economy. That would be totalitarianism, and that would be really bad.'
He also highlighted the potential for AI to hijack human intimacy, noting, 'These models are being trained to hijack your intimacy, to make friends with you, to get you to fall in love with it. We shouldn’t be scared of an AI. We should be concerned about the people building AI.'
Gordon-Levitt, who was en route to address world leaders at the U.N., stressed the importance of human-centric digital governance, saying, 'Digital technology should be governed by people and for people.'
In the interview, Gordon-Levitt dismissed the notion of reducing AI concerns to a single sound bite of fear, explaining, 'Saying: Oh, I’m scared that AI could exterminate all of humanity — that doesn’t really get at the substance of the concern. There’s real validity to that concern. But that’s not the thing that really worries me.'
Gordon-Levitt also recommended reading 'Human Compatible' by Stuart Russell and posts by people working in AI alignment and safety to better understand the issues.
The actor, who has long been outspoken about AI, joined over 700 artists and creators in January in supporting an anti-AI campaign against tech companies exploiting copyrighted work.
Gordon-Levitt's role at the U.N. is newly established to strengthen public understanding of how digital technologies shape everyday life, rights, and opportunities.
Gordon-Levitt acknowledged the skepticism some might have about his role, saying, 'Why listen to an actor. Don’t listen to an actor,' but he urged people to listen to his concerns about AI's impact on society.
What this adds
Gordon-Levitt's concerns about AI extend beyond the immediate threat to human life, focusing instead on the broader societal impacts on democracy and human empathy.
What's confirmed
- In a video interview with The New York Times, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, who recently took on a role at the United Nations, expressed deep concerns about the impact of artificial intelligence on society.
- Gordon-Levitt also recommended reading 'Human Compatible' by Stuart Russell and posts by people working in AI alignment and safety to better understand the issues.
- The actor, who has long been outspoken about AI, joined over 700 artists and creators in January in supporting an anti-AI campaign against tech companies exploiting copyrighted work.
- Gordon-Levitt's role at the U.N. is newly established to strengthen public understanding of how digital technologies shape everyday life, rights, and opportunities.
- Gordon-Levitt acknowledged the skepticism some might have about his role, saying, 'Why listen to an actor. Don’t listen to an actor,' but he urged people to listen to his concerns about AI's impact on society.
What's still developing
- “At the risk of annoying The New York Times,” he said.