AI warnings by tech leaders are ‘apocalyptic hyperbole’, says Sir Nick Clegg

Nick Lester, Press Association US Editor in Washington DC

Dire warnings by tech leaders over the threat posed by artificial intelligence is “apocalyptic hyperbole”, former Meta executive Sir Nick Clegg has said.

The idea the technology would evolve into an Arnold Schwarzenegger Terminator-type robot that would “zap us all” was “just nonsense”, he argued.

He also questioned why communities would want data centres in their areas when AI developers were themselves warning the facilities would service “cataclysmically bad technology”.

The former UK deputy prime minister and Liberal Democrat leader made his robust remarks at an Atlantic Council think tank event in Washington, DC on leadership in a digital world.

His comments come amid growing calls for safeguards around the fast-advancing technology after reports of hacking by rogue autonomous AI software bots and warnings by industry figures that it poses an existential threat to humanity.

There have also been concerns over the impact on areas of data centres, which provide the computing power to train and run AI.

Donald Trump has championed AI and the building of data centres, stressing the importance to US competitiveness, in the face of mounting cross-party opposition.

In response to the criticism, the US president has sought to rebrand the technology as “super intelligence”.

Asked about the “disconnect” between technology companies seeking to build data centres and local communities, Sir Nick said: “Well, first thing is, don’t go around saying that the technology that you’re building is going to destroy humanity as you know it by next Tuesday, eliminate all jobs for your kids, and end civilisation.

“I mean, why should someone want a data centre in their midst if it’s in service of a sort of cataclysmically bad technology?

“I cannot for the life of me understand why some of these technology leaders think it’s smart, because I actually don’t think it’s justified.”

He added: “Of course, I defer to them – they’re the engineers, I’m not. But I don’t think it’s remotely justified, this apocalyptic hyperbole, by the nature of this technology.

“Generative AI is a very powerful technology, but the idea that it’s going to become this kind of all-seeing, all-knowing, autonomous thing that, like a sort of Arnold Schwarzenegger film with you know, like a robot with red flaming eyes is suddenly going to zap us all. It’s just nonsense.”

While acknowledging concerns around AI-driven bioterrorism and fraud, he added: “Why should anyone accept disruption in their own community if they’re being told that that thing is being built in service of a technology for which they should be really, really scared and frightened?

“Never mind the obvious stuff about disruption to your neighbourhood and all the disruption of having lorries coming in out and building the thing, and the call on water and electricity and so on and so forth.

“Beyond that, it’s like building any infrastructure in any community. It doesn’t matter whether it’s a new residential complex, whether it’s a new industrial park, whether it’s a new factory, whether it’s a new agricultural installation. You’ve got to bring people along with you. You’ve got to communicate openly.

“There’s some truth to some of the things said about data centres. There’s a lot of mythology around it, and particularly around water use, it’s just basically not true.

“I mean, partly because the technology has improved, so a lot of the water now is just effectively cycled in a closed loop, and so on and so forth. But there are other issues which are worrisome.

“Why should communities embrace this technology if they’re being told by the technologists that it’s bad technology?

“It’s kind of duh, and so I think that’s probably the most important thing.”

Sir Nick also pointed out data centres were seeing “an absolute eruption in blue-collar employment” in construction and related trades which would benefit communities.

He said: “I think some of the smarter data centre developers kind of work in open partnership, but even if they do the best local job possible, it’s very difficult for them. I think sometimes if the overarching narrative that they read about it is so deeply unsettling.”