In a candid assertion, Salesforce co-founder, chairman, and CEO Marc Benioff emphasized that the government must heed the lessons from its previous attempts at regulating social media companies, an area where he contends it fell notably short. Speaking at the Dreamforce conference, Benioff underscored the urgency for heightened regulation by the government in the realm of artificial intelligence (AI), noting its rapid progression beyond industry expectations.
“I think the government is going to have to really step it up and really offer another level of regulation,” Benioff asserted during an interview. Benioff lamented the perceived failure of the efforts of the government in social media regulation, grading them with an “F,” and expressed a fervent hope for more astute action in the sphere of AI.
Benioff, a vocal critic of social media companies, famously equated Facebook to the “new cigarettes” in 2020. His remarks come amid a backdrop of intensifying discussions on AI regulation, with leaders from OpenAI, Tesla, Meta, Nvidia, and Alphabet summoned to Washington for deliberations on the matter.
While Elon Musk cautioned against potential civilizational risks posed by AI, others emphasized its vast opportunities. Nevertheless, a concrete timeline for AI regulation remains elusive, leaving businesses and society at large in anticipation of an impending wave of upheaval as large language models gain prominence.
Deutsche Bank strategist Jim Reid articulated concerns about the potential ramifications of lax AI regulation on the global economy. He posited that while minimal regulation might lead to heightened growth, it would also likely usher in significant disruption to established industries.
Tech investor will.i.am echoed apprehensions about AI’s influence on public perception, foreseeing a landscape where discerning truth from deception becomes increasingly challenging. He remarked, “2024 is going to be a pretty unique time because we will have so many different types of duping agents out there, where you’re not going to decipher truth.”
In contrast to the regulatory ambiguity surrounding Big Tech’s foray into AI, Salesforce is forging ahead with ambitious plans to deploy AI tools across its diverse business lines. Exhibited at Dreamforce, a Williams-Sonoma display offered a glimpse into how Salesforce’s AI is driving furniture recommendations. Additionally, Slack, a company acquired by Salesforce in 2021 for $27.7 billion, showcased the potential of new AI features in enhancing marketing campaigns.
“The AI revolution is here,” Benioff declared, underscoring the accelerating pace of AI advancement. However, in stark contrast, regulatory frameworks remain conspicuously absent, leaving the industry to navigate uncharted territory.
Source: Yahoo Finance
