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Two of Japan’s largest companies have warned that the advancement of artificial intelligence could lead to the collapse of society.
Nippon Telegraph and Telephone (NTT), Japan’s largest telecommunications company, and Yomiuri Shimbun Group Holdings, owner of Japan’s most popular newspaper, are pushing for more regulation of AI following European lawmakers’ creation of the first comprehensive set of rules for AI.
“If generative AI is allowed to go unchecked, trust in society as a whole may be damaged as people grow distrustful of one another and incentives are lost for guaranteeing authenticity and trustworthiness,” the paper read. “There is a concern that, in the worst-case scenario, democracy and social order could collapse, resulting in wars.”
The two companies noted that humans are incapable of fully controlling AI, noting that it “lies with confidence” and humans “are easily fooled.” They added that AI bots could be used to spread “malicious information” that could “cause social unrest.”
The companies called for “rigid restrictions by law” on AI and companies, including legislation for areas of the highest risk such as around elections and protecting Japan’s national security.
A new wave of AI tools have been developed by US labs, including OpenAI, Google Deepmind and Anthropic. Some experts have warned that AI tools such as these could pose a potential existential risk to humanity.
The Yomiuri editorial in December noted the rush of new AI products coming from US tech companies, saying “AI models could teach people how to make weapons or spread discriminatory ideas” citing risks from sophisticated fake videos that show politicians speaking.
