AI-powered misinformation will pose the world’s biggest threat in the near term: World Economic Forum

Artificial intelligence-powered misinformation and disinformation poses the biggest near-term global threat to the world, according to a new report from the World Economic Forum.

According to the report, extreme weather and social polarization continue to be global threats, and a survey of approximately 1,500 experts from academia, business, and government was conducted to examine global risks. It is being done.

“Niche skill sets are no longer required, and easy-to-use interfaces to large-scale artificial intelligence (AI) models have enabled an explosion of disinformation and so-called “synthetic” content, from sophisticated voice clones to counterfeit websites. significant increases are already possible. ” states the Forum’s Global Risk Report.

President Biden issued an executive order on AI in October that included new safety standards.

The order required companies developing models that could threaten national security, economic security, or public health to notify the federal government while the models are being trained.

“President Biden believes we have an obligation to harness the power of AI for good while protecting people from the potentially serious risks of AI,” a senior administration official told reporters at the time.

While the report cited misinformation and disinformation generated by AI as the biggest threat, it said extreme weather was another serious problem.

Climate change is contributing to extreme weather events, raising concerns about everything from hurricanes to fires to extreme temperatures.

“Nearly every environmental risk is included in the top 10 rankings for the next 10 years. Extreme weather events rank at the top of the list for the next 10 years and are expected to become even more severe,” the report said. There is.