Meta’s Yann LeCun Predicts Humans Will Retain Control Over Superintelligent AI
Yann LeCun, Meta’s chief AI scientist, holds a contrasting view to some industry leaders regarding the potential threat posed by superintelligent AI systems. Unlike figures such as OpenAI’s Sam Altman and xAI’s Elon Musk, who have expressed concerns about a potential extinction-level event, LeCun believes that humans will remain in charge.
LeCun, speaking at Nvidia’s GTC conference, emphasized his skepticism towards a “catastrophe scenario” where AI systems run out of control. He suggested that while AI could potentially replace people in the future, it’s unlikely that society would allow this to happen. He framed the relationship with future AI, including superintelligence, as one where humans will act as the “boss.”
“We’re gonna have a staff of superintelligent, beautiful people kind of working for us,” LeCun stated. “I don’t know about you, but I like working with people who are smarter than me. It’s the greatest thing in the world.”
LeCun’s perspective directly challenges the more alarmist views prevalent in the AI community. He has consistently dismissed fears of AI-induced doom, previously characterizing the idea of a superintelligence takeover as a “sci-fi trope/cliché.” In a 2024 X post, he stated that “The emergence of superintelligence is not going to be an event. We don’t have anything close to a blueprint for superintelligent systems today. At some point, we will come up with an architecture that can take us there.”
During the Nvidia conference, LeCun acknowledged the dangers associated with the misuse and unreliability of AI. However, he believes the solution lies in the development of “better AI.” He advocated for systems with common sense, reasoning capabilities, and the ability to assess the reliability of their own answers – functionalities that are not yet fully realized.
“The fix for this is better AI. Systems that have common sense maybe, a capacity of reasoning and checking whether the answers are correct, and assessing the reliability of their own answers which is not quite currently the case,” LeCun said.
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LeCun’s views provide a more optimistic outlook on the future of AI, suggesting that humans will maintain control as these technologies advance. His emphasis on the need for robust and reliable AI systems reflects his commitment to responsible development and deployment.
