Life as described in George Orwell’s 1984 book “could become a reality in 2024” if the authorities do not protect citizens from artificial intelligence, the president of Microsoft warned, according to the BBC.
In an interview with the publication, Brad Smith said it would be “difficult to catch up” with rapidly advancing technology.
“If we don’t pass laws that will protect the public in the future, technology will take over and it will be very difficult to catch up,” Smith said.
“I am constantly reminded of the lessons of George Orwell in his book, 1984. You know that the story was about a government that could see everything that everyone was doing and could hear everything that everyone was saying all the time. Well, it didn’t happen in 1984, but if we’re not careful, it could happen in 2024, “says Smith.
In some parts of the world, the reality is increasingly taking the form of science fiction, he added.
Microsoft’s president warned of China’s ambition to become a world leader in artificial intelligence by 2030.
In 2019, China surpassed the US in the number of patents guaranteed by academic institutions for innovation in AI technologies.
54% of the world’s 770 million CCTV cameras are in China, according to research by Comparitech.
There are global concerns about China’s increasing use of AI to monitor its citizens.
Translated from Romanian by Service For Life S.R.L.