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Elon Musk could have a role in Donald Trump’s White House, and this could mean stricter AI standards.
It’s no secret that Musk and Trump have a good relationship, with the SpaceX CEO being very open about his support for the President-elect during his campaign, with numerous posts on his social media site, X. Even before Trump won the 2024 presidential election, it was also speculated that there could be a place for Musk in the White House.
There have been no official announcements yet, but regardless, it’s probable that Musk will wield influence in the future administration. Looking ahead, a leading scientist who has worked closely with Musk has theorized that this could lead to tougher AI standards when it comes to safety.
What has Musk already said about AI standards in safety?
Max Tegmark highlighted that Musk’s support for a failed AI bill in California was a testament to the billionaire’s continued concern about AI safety. While Trump himself has not addressed the issue, either on or off the campaign trail, it’s certainly a priority for Musk.
That hasn’t stopped Musk from pushing AI tools on his platforms, like X, but he has warned against the unrestrained development of AI. In 2023, he was one of more than 30,000 names signed on a letter calling to pause research into AI models.
Speaking to the Guardian at the Web Summit in Lisbon, Tegmark explained that Musk could use his influence to persuade Trump to introduce standards that prevent the development of artificial general intelligence (AGI) – the term for AI systems that match or exceed human levels of intelligence, something Musk has expressed fears about in the past.
“I do think that if Elon manages to get Trump’s ear on AI issues, we’re more likely to get some form of safety standards, something that prevents AGI,” the professor, specializing in AI at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, said. “He might help Trump understand that an AGI race is a suicide race.”
Featured image: Midjourney
