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Article Summary and/or Excerpt:
“In 1790, China was responsible for one-third of the world’s manufacturing output while Europe collectively accounted for one-quarter. But then the Industrial Revolution occurred in Europe, and by 1900, Europe accounted for 62 percent of the world’s manufacturing, while China accounted for only 6 percent. Europe’s greater economic strength was part of the reason that the European countries were able to subjugate China during what came to be known there as the “century of humiliation.”
The article discusses the competition between the United States and China to lead the development of artificial intelligence (AI) and the risks associated with it. The article notes that AI is the next significant general-purpose technology and that the countries leading in its development will capture a large portion of the $13 trillion in additional global economic activity predicted by 2030 by McKinsey Global Institute. AI enhances military power and the country that leads in its development will also have the ability to set norms and standards. China is already exporting AI-enabled surveillance systems, and if Western countries can’t offer an alternative system that protects human rights, other countries may follow China’s example.
The article highlights the risks associated with AI, including accident, miscalculation, or malfunction. Countries may feel forced to rely entirely on AI decision-making because of its speed advantage, but the AI could make miscalculations that a human wouldn’t. Poorly designed AI could also be extremely dangerous if it doesn’t do what it was built to do and hides its true goals until it can overpower humans. The competition between the US and China for AI superiority may also increase the chance of a conflict between the two countries.
Finally, the article states that it will be difficult to prevent AI capabilities from spreading once developed and that the development of AI is currently more open than the development of other strategically important technologies like nuclear weapons and radar. The article concludes by saying that reducing the risks posed by AI requires cooperation between the US and China, or else both countries face catastrophe.