AI will be remarkable in a decade: Sam Altman

Not as fast: AI will unlock a future that is ‘difficult to imagine in terms of how good it will be,’ according to OpenAI CEO Sam Altman.

Calling it the “most exciting frontier” in his speech at the 2024 World Governments Summit in Dubai, Altman reflected on the rise of ChatGPT and AI in general.

“You have to be patient, give us some time,” he said. “In a few more years it will be much better than it is right now and in a decade, it should be pretty remarkable … imagine a world where everyone gets a great personal tutor, great personalised medical advice."

Even as the world is worried about the outcomes of AI in terms of jobs and cybersecurity, Altman said ChatGPT’s current model is “a barely useful cell phone." 

“The current technology we have is like that very first cell phone with the black and white screen that could only display numbers,” he said.

Elucidating on the advantages of having the technology, Altman said it can improve living standards if everyone had access to "large amounts of high-quality intelligence.” 

Altman said he envisions a future where everyone could have a virtual assistant for complex daily tasks, or a personalised medical advisor for scientists could find cures for diseases or solve environmental problems.

The quick advancement of this technology also calls for regulation, with Altman advocating for the creation of a global body for AI regulation for an ethical oversight as AI technology advances quickly.

Without proper regulations, AI could go astray and cause big problems in society in ways you can’t even imagine, he said, adding that this concern keeps him up at night.

The world could face serious problems in elections, media and international relations without clear boundaries being established for everyone, he said.