A collective of industry leaders and experts, including Sam Altman of OpenAI, emphasized the need for global leaders to actively mitigate the "extinction risk" associated with artificial intelligence technology. They stressed that addressing the dangers of AI should be given equal importance as other large-scale societal risks such as pandemics and nuclear war. The rise of ChatGPT, which garnered significant attention for its impressive ability to generate essays, poems, and conversations based on minimal input, has led to substantial investments in the field.

Concerns have been raised by both critics and industry insiders regarding various aspects of artificial intelligence, ranging from biased algorithms to the potential for significant job displacement as AI-driven automation becomes more integrated into everyday life.

The recent statement, hosted on the website of the US-based non-profit organization Center for AI Safety, did not provide specific details about the existential threat posed by AI. However, several signatories, including Geoffrey Hinton, a prominent figure in AI development often referred to as the industry's father, have previously issued similar warnings.

The primary focus of their apprehension lies in the concept of artificial general intelligence (AGI), which refers to a vaguely defined moment when machines possess the ability to perform diverse tasks and can autonomously evolve their own programming.

The concern centers around the potential loss of human control, a prospect that experts caution could lead to catastrophic outcomes for the human species.

The most recent letter, endorsed by numerous academics and specialists from prominent companies like Google and Microsoft, follows a previous call made by billionaire Elon Musk and others to halt the development of such technology until its safety could be guaranteed. This letter arrives two months after that plea.