AI may become more powerful than its creator, relays a warning from web pioneer Tim Berners‑Lee about the rapid expansion of artificial intelligence. Berners‑Lee applauds the technology’s promise in fields such as drug discovery and scientific research but notes that AI’s accelerating pace could lead to systems whose capabilities outstrip their creators’ control.
He argues that humanity must prepare for “super intelligence” at a time when governments and companies are racing to develop powerful models without always considering the wider consequences. In conversation with author Jaya Bhattacharji Rose, Berners‑Lee described OpenAI’s ChatGPT as a “phase change,” comparing its conversational prowess to a fundamental shift in computing.
However, he emphasises that the key issue is not the sophistication of tools but whom they serve. In his view, AI agents should act in the user’s best interests - like a doctor’s duty of care - rather than be shaped solely by corporate incentives. To realise this, Berners‑Lee points to his Solid project and its user‑controlled data “pods,” which allow individuals to manage and selectively share their data. He contrasts the early web’s open, democratic ethos, where anyone could publish on equal footing with big institutions, with today’s platform‑dominated internet
Top comments (0)