Eric Schmidt Says US ‘Not Prepared’ For AI Competition

The U.S. is currently unprepared to compete in the artificial intelligence (AI) age that is already upon us, CNBC reported, quoting a group of experts helmed by former Google CEO Eric Schmidt.

The National Security Commission on Artificial Intelligence said in a nearly 800-page report released on Monday (March 1) that China could become the “AI superpower” ahead of the U.S. That could lead to serious military implications, the report said.

Schmidt and Vice Chair Robert Work said the report showcases a strategy to “defend against AI threats, responsibly employ AI for national security and win the broader technology competition for the sake of our prosperity, security and welfare.”

The report said there are concerns that AI will move beyond the realm of science fiction and will be used in a “pursuit of power” that won’t just be limited to superpowers. The report also urges President Joe Biden to reject calls for a ban on AI-powered autonomous weapons, as countries like China and Russia wouldn’t be likely to keep any treaties they sign.

“We will not be able to defend against AI-enabled threats without ubiquitous AI capabilities and new warfighting paradigms,” Schmidt and Work wrote, according to CNBC.

The idea of a ban on AI-powered autonomous weapons was put into an open letter petition in 2015 and signed by thousands of AI researchers and computer scientists.

Boston-based Future of Life Institute said there were many positive ways the military could use AI, such as reconnaissance missions or defensive weapons to target and destroy incoming threats with no human command — but that didn’t include attacking humans, they said, according to CNBC.

Schmidt told Congress recently that the threat from being outpaced by China on technological innovation is “very, very real.” The comments came as President Joe Biden has been under pressure to take a hard stance against China for issues like national security and unfair trade practices.