In brief
- World leaders have signed a statement on AI regulation ahead of a leaders' meeting at the UN General Assembly this week.
- Anthony Albanese has been praised as a "trailblazer" for Australia's under-16 social media ban.
In the hyper-colour, futuristic crush of New York City's Times Square, a man who calls himself "Scientific" reflects on the march of artificial intelligence (AI).
He told SBS News the realities of AI have already arrived, with power both awesome and deeply confronting.
"You got to adapt with it. If you don’t adapt, in 10 years we are going to become extinct," he said.
Scientific is a musician. He wants more regulation of the technology companies.
"It's going left and right with this artificial intelligence … right now it’s acting like it's human.
News that makes sense
Your trusted source for staying up-to-date with the world around you. Get free daily news updates and analysis, straight to your inbox.
"If it has too much freedom over creativity, and gets the credit, what do they need us for?"
He's not alone. Everyone we spoke to in Manhattan's billboard-encrusted tourist magnet expressed concern about where the technology is leading humanity.
Another man urged some regulation be fast-tracked to ensure that AI agents don't decide humans are doing dangerous things and "get rid of them".
That's despite most people we spoke to also conceding they rely on ChatGPT and other AI assistants to help streamline their work and home lives.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has played a "central role" in crafting a statement alongside a broad coalition of international leaders, calling for control of frontier artificial intelligence models.
That statement was publicly released on Tuesday ahead of the United Nations General Assembly leaders' week.
Signatories represent Norway, Finland, Bahrain, Canada, Denmark, Estonia, Germany, Iceland, Ireland, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Latvia, Moldova, the Netherlands, Singapore, Spain, South Africa, Türkiye and the United Arab Emirates
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has also signed up, and in a meeting with Albanese referred to him as a "trailblazer" in reference to Australia's social media laws.
The leaders of other nations are being encouraged to add heft to the message, which acknowledges AI's power to improve people's lives but sounds the alarm about safety risks if the technology is mismanaged.
"Leading scientists and executives are warning that the pace of development could outpace our ability to manage emerging risks," the statement said.
"To realise AI's potential, industry, governments and society must act now. We must address these risks and strengthen oversight — without widening the gap between countries in access to the benefits of AI."
"AI must remain under human direction, oversight and control. It must be developed and used in line with international law."
It commends companies that have transparent safety controls and endorses common standards that encourage the sharing of safety incidents.
The statement proposes an international institution to set standards and provide oversight to "convene states when capability thresholds are crossed".
Albanese wants to build on the international reputation he's achieved through the under-16s social media ban by helping shape how the world approaches the AI challenge.
"If it's going to be successful, then we need to make sure that humans are at the centre of everything that occurs," Albanese said.
In some ways, the world leaders who address the UN this week are a sideshow. The real draw is the main AI negotiations set to take place between the United States and Chinese presidents at the White House later this week.
But this statement is intended to lobby US President Donald Trump to consider further protections. So far, he's indicated that’s not his preference.
"We hope for a positive meeting," Albanese said.
"Other nations are putting forward their national interest.
"Australians do want to know that artificial intelligence won't be in control of us."
Whether the tech industry would comply with the demands of UN member states is unclear.
Sam Altman, CEO of ChatGPT developer OpenAI, is expected to address an open session of the UN Security Council this week.
Back in Times Square, a man in a gorilla costume poses for photos, while smart glasses flash up on one of the hundreds of advertising screens behind him.
The companies advancing AI know they are the giant gorillas in this AI race.
For the latest from SBS News, download our app and subscribe to our newsletter.
