London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Friday, May 23, 2025

Google boss Sundar Pichai admits AI dangers 'keep me up at night'

Google boss Sundar Pichai admits AI dangers 'keep me up at night'

Google has started rolling out its own chatbot called Bard. It's a large language model, trained on huge amounts of data, to help it understand text inputs and respond. Its direct competition is Microsoft's revamped Bing, which has rolled OpenAI's ChatGPT technology into its search engine.
Google's chief executive had admitted the potential dangers of AI development "keep me up at night".

Sundar Pichai said the technology "can be very harmful if deployed wrongly" and backed growing calls for regulation amid concern about its impact on jobs, privacy, and how information is shared online.

"We don't have all the answers there yet - and the technology is moving fast," he told CBS's 60 Minutes programme.

"So does that keep me up at night? Absolutely."

Google fast-tracked its plans for ChatGPT-style features in its products and services after being caught out by the sudden success of OpenAI's model, which now has more than 100 million monthly users.

The technology has since been implemented into Microsoft's Bing search engine, threatening Google's long-held dominance in the field like never before.

Google launched its direct competitor, Bard, earlier this year - a major step for a company that had been cautious about allowing the public to interact with its AI.

Bard is powered by LaMDA, which can generate prose so human-like that a company engineer last year called it sentient - a claim the company and scientists widely dismissed.

Google does not 'fully understand' AI's answers

Like ChatGPT, Bard is a large language model trained on huge amounts of data to interpret text and respond to questions and prompts. However, both have also been shown capable of making factual errors.

Mr Pichai admitted Google still does not "fully understand" why Bard produces certain responses.

"There is an aspect of this which we call, all of us in the field call it... a 'black box'," he said.

"You don't fully understand. And you can't quite tell why it said this, or why it got this wrong."

But Mr Pichai said despite his concerns, AI development would only continue to accelerate - and eventually impact "every product across every company", from healthcare to creative industries.

Google itself has already added Bard features to apps like Docs, and The New York Times reports the company will launch an entirely new search engine powered by the technology.

Mr Pichai said it would be down to governments to figure out how best to regulate it.

How governments are approaching AI

The UK government has said it will take a light approach to regulating AI, saying any attempt to legislate now will quickly be out of date.

But in the US, the White House is inviting public feedback on how AI should be regulated to protect jobs and privacy, while China has already published draft rules outlining its own approach.

Last month, Italy became the first country to outright ban ChatGPT while the country's data protection authorities investigated its collection of user information.

It came after Elon Musk joined hundreds of AI experts in calling for a pause in the development of the technology, warning that it posed "profound risks to society".

But Musk has since revealed plans to build his own ChatGPT rival.
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
The Daily Debate: The Fall of the Dollar — Strategic Reset or Economic Self-Destruction?
UK Justice Secretary Advocates for Good Conduct Release Policies to Alleviate Prison Overcrowding
Trump Administration's Tariff Policies and Dollar Strategy Spark Global Economic Debate
UK Transfers Chagos Islands Sovereignty to Mauritius in Strategic Agreement
Bitcoin Surpasses $111,000 Mark for the First Time
Key Developments in UK Business and Economy
OpenAI Acquires Jony Ive’s Startup for $6.5 Billion to Build a Revolutionary “Third Core Device”
Turkey Weighs Citizens in Public as Erdoğan Launches National Slimming Campaign
Leaked Secret Report: How the Muslim Brotherhood Is Expanding in France—With Qatari Funding
BYD Surpasses Tesla in European Electric Vehicle Sales
West Nile Virus Detected in UK Mosquitoes for First Time
UK Exposes Russian Cyber Campaign Targeting Ukraine Aid Networks
UK Inflation Rises to 3.5% in April Amid Household Bill Increases
UK Suspends Trade Talks with Israel Amid Gaza Offensive
Taiwan claims China is using cash to win over developing nations
European Parliament Suspends Huawei Lobbyists Amid Corruption Probe
Industry Leaders Express Skepticism Over EU's New Single Market Strategy
European Parliament Considers Lifting Immunity of Five MEPs in Huawei Investigation
‘Plane Full of English Animals’: Footage Documents EasyJet Flight Chaos to Ibiza
Trump and Ramaphosa Hold Contentious White House Meeting Amid Diplomatic Strains
US Billionaires' Wealth Surges by $365 Billion Amid Tax Cut Debate
Sean 'Diddy' Combs Faces Federal Trial on Sex Trafficking and Racketeering Charges
India Blocks Thousands of Social Media Accounts Amid Tensions with Pakistan
Iran and U.S. Set for Fifth Round of Nuclear Talks Amid Rising Tensions
Russia Expands Military Presence Near Finland Amid Rising Tensions
Indian Scholar Arrested in Crackdown Over Pakistan Conflict Commentary
Ontario Manufacturers Warn U.S. Tariffs Could Create Economic 'Ghost Town'
UK and EU Reach Landmark Post-Brexit Deal to Reset Relations
Israel Eases Gaza Blockade Amid Internal Dispute Over Military Strategy
President Biden’s announcement of advanced prostate cancer sparked public sympathy—but behind closed doors, Democrats are in panic
Trump Demands Probe into Kamala Harris for Paying Celebs to Fake Endorsements
At Age 92, the World’s Oldest President Has No Succession Plan — and That Could Spark a Crisis
U.S. Concerns Mount Over Chinese 'Kill Switch' Components Found in Solar Power Infrastructure
Bipartisan Criticism Surrounds Trump's Cryptocurrency Ventures
Diplomatic Efforts on the Russia-Ukraine Conflict
Mexican Navy Ship Collides with Brooklyn Bridge, Injuries Reported
A Chinese company made solar tiles that look way nicer than regular panels!
U.S. and Philippine Forces Test High-Powered Microwave Weapons in Joint Exercise
China Unveils Advanced AI Surveillance Tools at 12th Police Equipment Expo
Japan's Three Major Banks Report Record High Net Profits for Second Consecutive Year
The Chinese Dragon: The True Winner in the India-Pakistan Clash
US and EU Make Progress in Trade Talks, While Vietnam Negotiations Also Advance
Sean 'Diddy' Combs Trial: Ex-Girlfriend Cassie Ventura Testifies About Alleged Abuse
Former Wales Rugby Star Jamie Roberts to Pursue Medical Career
Australia's Venomous Creatures Contribute to Life-Saving Antivenom Programme
Passenger Travels Under Wrong Identity on British Airways Flight
Former FBI Director James Comey Questioned by Secret Service Over Social Media Post
The Spanish Were Right: Long Working Hours Harm Brain Function
After 108 Years: Moody’s Downgrades U.S. Credit Rating
Did Former FBI Director Call for Violence Against Trump? Instagram Post Sparks Uproar
×