Biden warns dictators could use AI to put ‘shackles’ on the ‘human spirit’

In his United Nations General Assembly address on Tuesday, President Joe Biden touted the positive possibilities that stand to be unlocked as artificial intelligence tools are improved. But he also warned about deepfakes and AI-enabled weapons, saying dictators could potentially use these tools in nefarious ways. 

To be clear, we’re already starting to see despots and wannabe authoritarians deploying AI to upend democracy. The Office of the Director of National Intelligence, for example, recently released a report finding Russia is the most prolific distributor of AI-generated content intended to manipulate U.S. voters ahead of this year’s elections. And Donald Trump and his allies have used AI-generated content to spread disinformation about Vice President Kamala Harris and other Democrats during this year’s presidential campaign. 

In Tuesday’s speech, Biden echoed the sentiment of AI ethicists he’s met with previously, like Joy Buolamwini, when he spoke of the need for equity in AI, saying it should “narrow, not deepen, digital divides.” Biden said “much of [AI] could make our lives better.” But he also said it could pose “profound risks,” listing the potential creation of novel pathogens, bioweapons, deepfakes and other forms of disinformation. And he offered a sobering warning that dictators could use the technology to place “shackles” on the “human spirit” if precautions aren’t put in place to prevent that. 

Biden said:

[M]y fellow leaders, it’s with humility I offer two questions: First: How do we as an international community govern AI? As countries and companies race to uncertain frontiers, we need an equally urgent effort to ensure AI’s safety, security, and trustworthiness. As AI grows more powerful, it must grow also — it also must grow more responsive to our collective needs and values. The benefits of all must be shared equitably. It should be harnessed to narrow, not deepen, digital divides. Second: Will we ensure that AI supports, rather than undermines, the core principles that human life has value and all humans deserve dignity? We must make certain that the awesome capabilities of AI will be used to uplift and empower everyday people, not to give dictators more powerful shackles on human — on the human spirit.

The European Union is leading the charge when it comes to regulating artificial intelligence innovation. In the United States, on the other hand, whether and how AI should be regulated remains a hot-button issue. But Biden’s remarks on AI, which essentially closed out his speech, reminded listeners that a failure to establish rules around how AI is used could have dire consequences both in the U.S. and abroad.