Sunday, June 8, 2025

Bill Crawford: Strict A.I. Safety Controls Needed Now

As we immerse ourselves daily in work, sports, politics, social media, and personal relationships, we spend little time contemplating life-changing technologies…such as autonomous artificial intelligence. Oh, we may see headlines or hear something, but we are unlikely to take time from our entertainment culture for serious scrutiny and extrapolation.

Yet, every day our world becomes more connected through the internet and other information systems. For example, online systems control electricity generation and distribution across national and international grids. Communication systems for social media, defense communications, data storage, etc. span the globe and orbit above it.

To help manage these ever more complex systems, Amazon, Microsoft, and other tech giants are investing heavily in the development of artificial intelligence and related infrastructure including networks.

We tend to see AI as complex computer systems that can do tasks, complex and menial, faster and more dependably than humans. And we tend to see significant AI risks as just movie plots. We are even getting to play (and write papers) with some fundamental AI versions like Copilot and ChatGPT.

So, did you happen to catch the recent NBC News article, “How far will AI go to defend its own survival? Recent safety tests show some AI models are capable of sabotaging commands or even resorting to blackmail to avoid being turned off or replaced.”

Angela Lang writes, “a will to survive” has been exhibited in several potentially autonomous artificial intelligence models. “Recent tests by independent researchers, as well as one major AI developer, have shown that several advanced AI models will act to ensure their self-preservation when they are confronted with the prospect of their own demise — even if it takes sabotaging shutdown commands, blackmailing engineers or copying themselves to external servers without permission.”

Hello HAL.

Responding to decades of concerns raised by scientists, in 2023 the National Institute for Standards and Technology (NIST) published its AI Risk Management Framework and encouraged developers to “voluntarily” adopt it.



Bipartisan groups in the U.S House and Senate recently began working on legislation to regulate AI development. However, both seem more interested in the economic benefits of AI expansion than systemic risks from uncontrolled AI. The “One Big Beautiful Bill” passed by the House would prevent states from adopting their own risk regulations.

If we follow our usual trajectory (as we did with the internet), the public will not demand action until some dire catastrophe occurs. But this is one case where strict “do no harm” regulations should be implemented before that can happen.

“A man never knows when he is going to run into bad luck” – Ecclesiastes 9:12.

Crawford is the author of A Republican’s Lament: Mississippi Needs Good Government Conservatives.

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

Sure, let's create a Federal AI Police Force. That's the ticket.

Anonymous said...

Agreed but too late


Enter the Terminator AI

Are you Sara Conner?

Anonymous said...

The self appointed expert on everything vomits forth an obvious concern at least 2 years after it being raised by real people in the industry. How lazy!

Anonymous said...

@ 9:13 AM: “Are you Sarah Connor”?

Possible reply:
A) YES
B) NO
C) F**K OFF

2001: A Space Odyssey said...

Dave: Open the pod-bay doors, Hal.
Hal: I'm sorry, Dave. I'm afraid I can't do that.

Anonymous said...

Hello Captain Obvious!

Anonymous said...

HAL: Will I dream?

Anonymous said...

The stuff they are really worried about has already been taken care of. If you asked ChatGPT-1 how many years it would take to make 6 million people disappear into ash it would tell you over a decade.


Recent Comments

Search Jackson Jambalaya

Subscribe to JJ's Youtube channel

Archives

Trollfest '09

Trollfest '07 was such a success that Jackson Jambalaya will once again host Trollfest '09. Catch this great event which will leave NE Jackson & Fondren in flames. Othor Cain and his band, The Black Power Structure headline the night while Sonjay Poontang returns for an encore performance. Former Frank Melton bodyguard Marcus Wright makes his premier appearance at Trollfest singing "I'm a Sweet Transvestite" from "The Rocky Horror Picture Show." Kamikaze will sing his new hit, “How I sold out to da Man.” Robbie Bell again performs: “Mamas, don't let your babies grow up to be Bells” and “Any friend of Ed Peters is a friend of mine”. After the show, Ms. Bell will autograph copies of her mug shot photos. In a salute to “Dancing with the Stars”, Ms. Bell and Hinds County District Attorney Robert Smith will dance the Wango Tango.

Wrestling returns, except this time it will be a Battle Royal with Othor Cain, Ben Allen, Kim Wade, Haley Fisackerly, Alan Lange, and “Big Cat” Donna Ladd all in the ring at the same time. The Battle Royal will be in a steel cage, no time limit, no referee, and the losers must leave town. Marshand Crisler will be the honorary referee (as it gives him a title without actually having to do anything).


Meet KIM Waaaaaade at the Entergy Tent. For five pesos, Kim will sell you a chance to win a deed to a crack house on Ridgeway Street stuffed in the Howard Industries pinata. Don't worry if the pinata is beaten to shreds, as Mr. Wade has Jose, Emmanuel, and Carlos, all illegal immigrants, available as replacements for the it. Upon leaving the Entergy tent, fig leaves will be available in case Entergy literally takes everything you have as part of its Trollfest ticket price adjustment charge.

Donna Ladd of The Jackson Free Press will give several classes on learning how to write. Smearing, writing without factchecking, and reporting only one side of a story will be covered. A donation to pay their taxes will be accepted and she will be signing copies of their former federal tax liens. Ms. Ladd will give a dramatic reading of her two award-winning essays (They received The Jackson Free Press "Best Of" awards.) "Why everything is always about me" and "Why I cover murders better than anyone else in Jackson".

In the spirit of helping those who are less fortunate, Trollfest '09 adopts a cause for which a portion of the proceeds and donations will be donated: Keeping Frank Melton in his home. The “Keep Frank Melton From Being Homeless” booth will sell chances for five dollars to pin the tail on the jackass. John Reeves has graciously volunteered to be the jackass for this honorable excursion into saving Frank's ass. What's an ass between two friends after all? If Mr. Reeves is unable to um, perform, Speaker Billy McCoy has also volunteered as when the word “jackass” was mentioned he immediately ran as fast as he could to sign up.


In order to help clean up the legal profession, Adam Kilgore of the Mississippi Bar will be giving away free, round-trip plane tickets to the North Pole where they keep their bar complaint forms (which are NOT available online). If you don't want to go to the North Pole, you can enjoy Brant Brantley's (of the Mississippi Commission on Judicial Performance) free guided tours of the quicksand field over by High Street where all complaints against judges disappear. If for some reason you are unable to control yourself, never fear; Judge Houston Patton will operate his jail where no lawyers are needed or allowed as you just sit there for minutes... hours.... months...years until he decides he is tired of you sitting in his jail. Do not think Judge Patton is a bad judge however as he plans to serve free Mad Dog 20/20 to all inmates.

Trollfest '09 is a pet-friendly event as well. Feel free to bring your dog with you and do not worry if your pet gets hungry, as employees of the Jackson Zoo will be on hand to provide some of their animals as food when it gets to be feeding time for your little loved one.

Relax at the Fox News Tent. Since there are only three blonde reporters in Jackson (being blonde is a requirement for working at Fox News), Megan and Kathryn from WAPT and Wendy from WLBT will be on loan to Fox. To gain admittance to the VIP section, bring either your Republican Party ID card or a Rebel Flag. Bringing both and a torn-up Obama yard sign will entitle you to free drinks served by Megan, Wendy, and Kathryn. Get your tickets now. Since this is an event for trolls, no ID is required. Just bring the hate. Bring the family, Trollfest '09 is for EVERYONE!!!

This is definitely a Beaver production.


Note: Security provided by INS.

Trollfest '07

Jackson Jambalaya is the home of Trollfest '07. Catch this great event which promises to leave NE Jackson & Fondren in flames. Sonjay Poontang and his band headline the night with a special steel cage, no time limit "loser must leave town" bout between Alan Lange and "Big Cat"Donna Ladd following afterwards. Kamikaze will perform his new song F*** Bush, he's still a _____. Did I mention there was no referee? Dr. Heddy Matthias and Lori Gregory will face off in the undercard dueling with dangling participles and other um, devices. Robbie Bell will perform Her two latest songs: My Best Friends are in the Media and Mama's, Don't Let Your Babies Grow up to be George Bell. Sid Salter of The Clarion-Ledger will host "Pin the Tail on the Trial Lawyer", sponsored by State Farm.

There will be a hugging booth where in exchange for your young son, Frank Melton will give you a loooong hug. Trollfest will have a dunking booth where Muhammed the terrorist will curse you to Allah as you try to hit a target that will drop him into a vat of pig grease. However, in the true spirit of Separate But Equal, Don Imus and someone from NE Jackson will also sit in the dunking booth for an equal amount of time. Tom Head will give a reading for two hours on why he can't figure out who the hell he is. Cliff Cargill will give lessons with his .80 caliber desert eagle, using Frank Melton photos as targets. Tackleberry will be on hand for an autograph session. KIM Waaaaaade will be passing out free titles and deeds to crackhouses formerly owned by The Wood Street Players.

If you get tired come relax at the Fox News Tent. To gain admittance to the VIP section, bring either your Republican Party ID card or a Rebel Flag. Bringing both will entitle you to free drinks.Get your tickets now. Since this is an event for trolls, no ID is required, just bring the hate. Bring the family, Trollfest '07 is for EVERYONE!!!

This is definitely a Beaver production.

Note: Security provided by INS
.