‘AI risks include child porn, existential threats’

MANILA, Philippines — Artificial intelligence presents a growing list of risks – from cybercrimes, scams and non-consensual intimate imagery to AI-enabled terrorism and biological threats – and if left unchecked, could cause widespread harm to society, experts warn.

A landmark report, released ahead of the AI Action Summit in Paris in mid-February, underscores the urgency of addressing these concerns.

Titled “International Scientific Report on the Safety of Advanced AI,” the study focuses on general-purpose AI – systems capable of performing a wide range of tasks – which have advanced rapidly in recent years but remain poorly understood in terms of their risks.

It synthesizes current scientific knowledge on general-purpose AI, highlighting the importance of managing associated risks.

A collaborative effort by 96 international AI experts, the report represents an unprecedented attempt to establish a globally shared scientific perspective on AI risks and mitigation strategies.

The panel consists of representatives from 30 countries, including the Philippines, and groups such as the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, the European Union and the United Nations.

Among its members is Dominic Ligot from the Philippines, a data analyst, software developer and founder of CirroLytix, an AI company. Ligot also co-founded Data Ethics PH, an online community focused on data privacy, security and AI-driven discrimination.

The report states that people can benefit from the many useful applications of general-purpose AI when risks are properly managed.

However, several well-documented harms were associated with general-purpose AI, such as the generation of non-consensual deepfake pornography and AI-generated child sexual abuse material.

AI has also been used for financial fraud via voice impersonation, blackmail, reputational sabotage and psychological abuse.Despite these uncertainties, the report emphasized that AI, if properly managed, could significantly enhance human life.