Yoshua Bengio Launches Lawzero AI Safety Lab

Yoshua Bengio Establishes AI Safety Nonprofit, LawZero

Renowned computer scientist and Turing Award recipient, Yoshua Bengio, has announced the creation of a new nonprofit organization dedicated to AI safety. The lab, named LawZero, will focus on the development of more secure and reliable artificial intelligence systems.

Funding and Inspiration

LawZero has secured $30 million in philanthropic funding. Contributions were received from prominent figures and organizations including Jaan Tallinn, a founding engineer of Skype, Eric Schmidt, the former CEO of Google, Open Philanthropy, and the Future of Life Institute.

The organization’s name, LawZero, draws inspiration from a science fiction premise. It references the Zeroth Law of Robotics, a hypothetical principle prioritizing the well-being of humanity above all other considerations.

Bengio’s Advocacy for AI Safety

Bengio is widely recognized as a leading figure in the current advancements in artificial intelligence. He has increasingly become a prominent voice within the AI safety community, actively championing measures to mitigate potential risks.

He previously voiced his support for California’s SB 1047, a bill designed to prevent AI systems from triggering catastrophic events, despite its controversial nature.

Concerns Regarding Current AI Development

In a recent interview with the Financial Times, Bengio expressed reservations about the commitment of companies like OpenAI and Google to prioritizing safety. He indicated a lack of confidence in their ability to adequately address safety concerns amidst the competitive drive to create increasingly sophisticated AI.