United States: United States President Joe Biden has stated that artificial intelligence (AI) “could be” dangerous, but it remains to be seen how the technology will affect society.

Speaking at a meeting with science and technology advisers, Mr. Biden remarked that technology companies have a responsibility to ensure their products are safe before their release.

“Tech companies have a responsibility, in my view, to make sure their products are safe before making them public,” the US President noted during a meeting of the President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology.

Asked if AI was dangerous, Mr. Biden replied that it “remains to be seen” but “it could be.”

According to the President,  AI could help tackle challenges like disease and climate change, but developers of the technology would also have to address “potential risks to our society, to our economy, to our national security”.

Mr. Biden further pointed out that the effects of social media on young people’s mental health showed the harm new technologies can inflict if safeguards are not in place.

“Absent safeguards, we see the impact on mental health, self-image, and feelings of hopelessness, especially among young people,” the President further added.

The US leader reiterated a call for Congress to pass bipartisan privacy legislation to limit the personal data that technology companies collect, ban advertising targeted at children, and prioritise health and safety in product development.

Mr. Biden’s remarks come amid growing debate about how to regulate AI, with several voices calling for a pause on the development of the technology until safeguards can be put in place.

In an open letter published in March 2023, a number of tech leaders, including Tesla founder Mr. Elon Musk and Apple co-founder Mr. Steve Wozniak, called for a pause on the rollout of AI due to the technology’s “profound risks to society and humanity.”

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