Should Japan Worry About AI: Zuckerberg Talks Risks with Japan’s Prime Minister Fumio Kishida

Last updated on March 4th, 2024 at 08:22 pm

Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg met with Japan’s Prime Minister Fumio Kishida on Tuesday, during his visit to Tokyo, to discuss the risks and opportunities of artificial intelligence (AI), especially generative AI. The two leaders exchanged views on the status of AI’s technological advancement, the ethical and social implications of AI, and the need for global cooperation and regulation on AI. Zuckerberg also expressed his appreciation for Japan’s innovation and leadership in AI, and his excitement for the future of technology.

What is Generative AI?

Generative AI is a type of AI that can create new content, such as text, images, and audio, from simple prompts or data. It is powered by deep learning models, such as neural networks, that can learn from large amounts of data and generate realistic and diverse outputs. Some examples of generative AI applications are Meta’s Llama, which can produce realistic images of animals from text descriptions, Microsoft’s Copilot, which can generate code suggestions from natural language queries, and Google’s Gemini, which can synthesize speech from text.

Generative AI has been hailed as a revolutionary and transformative technology, that can enable new forms of creativity, communication, and education. However, it also poses significant risks and challenges, such as the potential for misuse, abuse, and deception. For instance, generative AI can be used to create fake or misleading content, such as deepfakes, which are videos or images that manipulate the appearance or voice of a person, or synthetic media, which are texts or audios that mimic the style or tone of a source. Such content can be used for malicious purposes, such as spreading misinformation, impersonating identities, or influencing opinions.

What did Zuckerberg and Kishida discuss?

Zuckerberg and Kishida discussed the risks and opportunities of generative AI, and the need for global cooperation and regulation on AI. According to a statement from the Japanese government, the two leaders agreed that generative AI has great potential for social good, but also requires careful management and oversight to prevent harm and ensure trust. They also agreed that AI should be aligned with human values and principles, and respect human rights and dignity.

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Zuckerberg and Kishida also discussed the initiatives and actions that their respective organizations and countries have taken or plan to take on AI. Zuckerberg shared Meta’s vision and strategy for building the metaverse, a virtual environment where people can interact and create with AI. He also shared Meta’s efforts and commitments to ensure the safety and responsibility of AI, such as developing and implementing AI ethics guidelines, conducting AI audits and reviews, and collaborating with other stakeholders on AI governance and standards.

Kishida shared Japan’s vision and strategy for becoming a global leader in AI, as outlined in the Japan AI Strategy 2021, which aims to promote the development and utilization of AI for social and economic growth, while ensuring the security and trustworthiness of AI. He also shared Japan’s efforts and contributions to the international community on AI, such as hosting the G7 Summit in 2023, where AI will be one of the main topics, and participating in the Global Partnership on AI (GPAI), a multilateral initiative to support and guide the responsible and human-centric use and development of AI.

Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg met with Japan’s Prime Minister Fumio Kishida on Tuesday, during his visit to Tokyo, to discuss the risks and opportunities of artificial intelligence (AI), especially generative AI. The two leaders exchanged views on the status of AI’s technological advancement, the ethical and social implications of AI, and the need for global cooperation and regulation on AI. Zuckerberg also expressed his appreciation for Japan’s innovation and leadership in AI, and his excitement for the future of technology.