For several years now, technologists have rung alarm bells about the potential for advanced AI systems to cause catastrophic damage to the human race. But in 2024, those warning calls were drowned out by a practical and prosperous vision of generative AI promoted by the tech industry – a vision that also benefited their wallets. Those warning of catastrophic AI risk are often called “AI doomers,” though it’s not a name they’re fond of. They’re worried that AI systems will make decisions to kill people, be used by the powerful to oppress the masses, or contribute to the downfall of society in one way or another. In 2023, it seemed like we were in the beginning of a renaissance era for technology regulation. AI doom and AI safety — a broader subject that can encompass hallucinations, insufficient content moderation, and other ways AI can harm society — went from a niche topic discussed in San Francisco coffee shops to a conversation appearing on MSNBC, CNN, and the front pages of the New York Times. To sum up the warnings issued in 2023: Elon Musk and more than 1,000 technologists and scientists called for a pause on AI development, asking the world to prepare for the technology’s profound risks.

Full report : In 2024, warning calls about catastrophic AI risks were drowned out by the tech industry’s promotion of a practical and prosperous vision of generative AI.