Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai calls for AI regulation to govern how the tech is leveraged

Sundar Pichai, who **now heads both Google and Alphabet** , has called for regulations for Artificial Intelligence (AI). In an op-ed published in the UK’s  Financial Times, Pichai wrote that “artificial intelligence needs to be regulated.” He believes that companies cannot just build the technology and “let market forces decide how it will be used.” “Now there is no question in my mind that artificial intelligence needs to be regulated. It is too important not to. The only question is how to approach it,” Pichai wrote in his piece. [caption id=“attachment_7498451” align=“alignnone” width=“1024”]  Google CEO Sundar Pichai. Image: Reuters.[/caption] He further wrote that “history is full of examples of how technology’s virtues aren’t guaranteed”. He gave the example of an internal combustion engine, which both enabled travel and increased occurrences of accidents. Suggesting how the guidelines could be, Pichai said:

“Good regulatory frameworks will consider safety, explainability, fairness, and accountability to ensure we develop the right tools in the right ways. Sensible regulation must also take a proportionate approach, balancing potential harms, especially in high-risk areas, with social opportunities. AI has the potential to improve billions of lives, and the biggest risk may be failing to do so. By ensuring it is developed responsibly in a way that benefits everyone, we can inspire future generations to believe in the power of technology as much as I do.”

Google Health and Alphabet Verily are actively working on AI-assisted medical devices, whereas Waymo is already operating its AI commercial ride service.