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Welcome back to the Elon Musk Podcast. This is a show where we discuss the critical crossroads that shape SpaceX, Tesla X, The Boring Company, and Neuralink. And I'm your host Will Walden. Open AICEO Sam Altman is exploring an innovative concept to support those in financial need through what he terms as universal basic compute. This idea extends the principle of universal basic income by providing a share of computational resources from AI
systems like GT7 to individuals. Altman suggests the resources could be used directly, sold, or donated to causes such as Cancer Research, essentially redefining socioeconomic structures by making compute power a valuable asset. Now the initiative stems from the broader realization of AI's increasing integration into daily life as potential to transform traditional economic models.
And by owning a portion of a IS computational power, individuals would essentially hold a stake in the A IS productivity. This shift could offer a new form of economic empowerment as AI technologies continue to advance. The Almet's commitment to exploring universal basic income solutions is long standing. He initiated a Ubi experiment, 2016, that distributed monthly payments between 50 to $1000 to
over 3000 participants. The outcomes of this project are expected to be published soon, providing insights into the practical effects of direct financial assistance without prerequisites. A concept of universal basic income has been tried in various forms across different U.S. cities and states, often referred to as generated guaranteed basic income, and these initiatives typically target individuals based on specific needs or social criteria rather than the general public.
Now, while many of these programs have reported beneficial outcomes, they have also sparked debate, particularly among conservative groups who argue that they might deter workforce participation. Recently, a controversy emerged in Texas, where the state Supreme Court halted a program aimed at providing $500 monthly to low income residents. In this decision shows that the contentious nature of unconditional transfer of cash programs and their perceived impact on traditional work ethics.
Altman has not detailed the operational specifics of his proposed universal basic compute concept. Nonetheless, the proposal is likely to attract attention and discussion among both supporters and critics of Ubi, given his novel approach of leveraging a is economic potential. And beyond financial experiments, Altman's broader concerns with AI include the potential risks it poses, such as job displacement and even existential threats.
He advocates for international regulatory oversight to manage the risks associated with advanced AI systems, ensuring they're developed and deployed safely. GBT 4, the latest iteration of open AIS models, has been described by Altman as posing no substantial danger. Currently, his focus remains on harnessing AIS capabilities responsibly while addressing societal concerns related to
privacy bias and governance. And Altman also heads Tools for Humanity, which offers the world Coin cryptocurrency in exchange for identity verification. This project is ongoing, and its interest is rethinking traditional economic interactions and providing new means of access to financial resources. Now, throughout his initiatives, Altman emphasizes the necessity of simple, respectful approaches to addressing poverty, critiquing existing government
programs as largely ineffective. And he champions the idea that direct financial assistance allows individuals to make better personal decisions and engage more freely with the market. Now, despite the potential benefits of Ubi, Altman acknowledges that simply providing money is not a Pansea for all societal issues, but insists it could alleviate some challenges and improve individuals prospects for self advancement.
The concept of universal basic compute suggests a future where traditional monetary income could be supplemented or replaced by access to computational resources. Now I have a question here. If you don't have enough money to get by how would you have enough money to make compute in some way? I'm that's a question that I'm posing and how they would get this compute power to other
people. I'm not sure if Sam Altman and the rest of his of his crew at Open AI would provide the money or if the compute would be provided by the individual. It's up in the air right now. This model could provide a novel means for individuals to engage with and benefit from the digital economy, particularly as a is role in society expands.
Allman's ideas were shared during a recent interview on the All In podcast, where he also discussed the broader implications of AI on society, including concerns about his impact on employment and the ethical challenges it presents. His advocacy for Ubi is driven by a recognition of AI's transformative potential and the need to mitigate its disruptive
effects on the labor market. Studies initiated by Allman and his team since 2016 have explored these dynamics, affirming his belief in UBIS viability and the dialogue between Altman and MIT President Sally Kornbluth at MIT highlighted the excitement and challenges surrounding AI.
The conversation covered the ethical, privacy, and operational issues posed by AI. Sam is doing a basically a a media tour right now, and he's reflecting both the enthusiasm for and complexities of AI and the evolving technology. Kornbluth expressed concerns about bias and privacy in AI systems, which Altman's response showed that there's efforts going on right now to align AI systems with human values,
making it more lifelike. Acknowledging that this will be a very difficult task now, looking forward, Altman is optimistic about AI's potential to contribute to society and scientific discovery and access global challenges such as energy sustainability and also climate change. He believes that the most significant alications of AI lie in this ability to enhance human knowledge and caabilities. Thank you so much for listening today. I really do appreciate your support.
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