A senior OpenAI leader has warned that people should prepare to defend against ongoing, persistent cyber-attacks driven by artificial intelligence, as the company paused development of its most advanced internal models over safety fears.
Key facts
- Chris Lehane, OpenAI's chief global affairs officer, warned of 'ongoing, persistent' AI cyber-attacks.
- OpenAI announced a pause in development of its most advanced internal models amid rising safety fears.
- Lehane said AI is entering 'a different chapter' in terms of its capabilities.
- Critics say AI firms are acting 'recklessly', according to the Guardian.
- Lehane called for the implementation of new safety standards.
A senior leader at OpenAI has said people should prepare to defend against “ongoing, persistent” cyber-attacks from artificial intelligence, as cutting-edge AI models gain advanced capabilities to plan and launch offensives, according to the Guardian.
Chris Lehane, OpenAI’s chief global affairs officer, told the Guardian that the technology has reached a new stage in its development. “We are hitting a different chapter, a different moment within AI, in terms of what the capabilities of this technology can do,” he said.
The warning comes as OpenAI announced this week that it was pausing development of its most advanced internal models amid rising safety fears, the Guardian reported.
Lehane pointed to the need to implement new safety standards to address the growing risks associated with more capable AI systems.
The comments arrive against a backdrop of criticism, with some observers saying AI firms are acting “recklessly”, according to the Guardian.
OpenAI’s decision to pause work on its leading internal models underscores the tension between rapid advances in AI capabilities and concerns about how those capabilities could be misused.
Why it matters
As AI systems become more capable, warnings from within the industry about their potential to launch cyber-attacks raise urgent questions about safety and regulation. OpenAI's decision to pause its most advanced models signals that even leading developers are weighing the risks of the technology they are building.
Frequently asked questions
What did OpenAI's Chris Lehane warn about?
Lehane, OpenAI's chief global affairs officer, warned that people should prepare to defend against ongoing, persistent cyber-attacks from AI as models gain advanced capabilities to plan and launch offensives, according to the Guardian.
Why did OpenAI pause development of its advanced models?
OpenAI announced a pause in development of its most advanced internal models amid rising safety fears, the Guardian reported.
What are critics saying about AI firms?
According to the Guardian, critics say AI firms are acting 'recklessly'.