On Monday, the CEO of ChatGPT developer OpenAI said a tour of major cities had left him “quite optimistic” about the potential for global AI cooperation.
The startup’s public face, sponsored by Microsoft Corp (MSFT.O), has been on a whirlwind tour, hoping to capitalize on interest in generative AI and exert influence over the burgeoning technology’s regulation.
“I came to the trip … sceptical that it was going to be possible in the short term to get global cooperation to reduce existential risk but I am now wrapping up the trip feeling quite optimistic we can get it done,” Sam Altman told students in Tokyo.
Regulators are scrambling to adapt existing rules and create new guidelines to govern the use of generative AI, which can create text and images and is engendering excitement and fear about its potential to reshape a wide range of industries.
The European Union is pressing forward with its proposed AI Act, which is likely to become law this year, whereas the US is leaning toward adjusting current laws for AI rather than developing new legislation.
Altman visited Japan in April, meeting with Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and expressing interest in having an office there.
“All of the conversations have progressed quite well,” Altman said on Monday without providing detail.
Japan is seen as a laggard in the types of AI services currently generating enthusiasm among consumers even as its manufacturing heavyweights invest in automation technology.
“There’s a long history of humans and machines working together here,” Altman said.
Altman is due to visit Singapore, Indonesia and Australia before returning to the U.S.
