Nvidia CEO vows to cut chip supplies to firms building unsafe AI
Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang says he would stop supplying chips to customers developing unsafe AI software, though he views current fears as overblown. He urges faster use of AI to monitor itself and says the industry has poorly explained the technology's benefits.
Nvidia chief executive Jensen Huang said on Thursday he would stop supplying chips to customers developing unsafe artificial-intelligence software, but believes there is currently no need for excessive alarm over such technology.
In a Bloomberg interview, Huang was asked whether he would halt supplies to irresponsible developers. He called it a hypothetical question, but confirmed the answer was yes, adding that he would first communicate with those customers because Nvidia has limited ability to judge how other companies use its technology.
"Our technology is general-purpose," he said.
Huang described concerns about AI safety as part of the growing pains of a rapidly expanding industry, but said he believes AI software can be controlled and deployed safely.
"Many of the young companies are going through growing pains, and they're growing incredibly fast. There's an accountability, responsibility that goes along with building companies that they're just growing into," he said.
He described some current fears as "self-imposed," saying the industry has done a "horrible job" of explaining the benefits of the new technology.
Huang argued that AI itself can be used to protect and help control the technology, urging faster integration of such safeguards into AI systems.
"We should accelerate the development of monitoring technologies, and AI is that monitor. So we should accelerate AI technology," he said.