A Microsoft #Artificial Intelligence  engineer has raised concerns with the FTC about the company's image-generator tool, saying it can create unsafe, violent, and sexual imagery. Shane Jones, a principal software engineering manager, has spent months bringing up safety concerns about Microsoft's Copilot Designer, which is built on OpenAI's DALL-E 3. 

https://www.cnbc.com/2024/03/06/microsoft-ai-engineer-says-copilot-designer-creates-disturbing-images.html

Microsoft engineer warns company's AI tool creates violent, sexual images, ignores copyrights

Artificial Intelligence

A Microsoft #Artificial Intelligence  engineer has raised concerns with the FTC about the company's image-generator tool, saying it can create unsafe, violent, and sexual imagery. Shane Jones, a principal software engineering manager, has spent months bringing up safety concerns about Microsoft's Copilot Designer, which is built on OpenAI's DALL-E 3.   https://www.cnbc.com/2024/03/06/microsoft-ai-engineer-says-copilot-designer-creates-disturbing-images.html

Sam Mendoza

A new report commissioned by the State Department calls for U.S. intervention to curb emerging threats posed by advanced AI, such as its weaponization and the risk of losing control of the technology. AI safety company Gladstone AI compiled the report, which states that AI in a worst-case scenario could cause an "extinction-level threat to the human species" and suggests policy actions to avoid catastrophic AI risks.

https://www.gladstone.ai/action-plan

A new report commissioned by the State Department calls for U.S. intervention to curb emerging threats posed by advanced AI, such as its weaponization and the risk of losing control of the technology. AI safety company Gladstone AI compiled the report, which states that AI in a worst-case scenario could cause an "extinction-level threat to the human species" and suggests policy actions to avoid catastrophic AI risks.  https://www.gladstone.ai/action-plan

The first U.S. government-commissioned assessment on catastrophic national security risks from advanced AI on the path to AGI.

Action Plan to increase the safety and security of advanced AI

Bobby

Microsoft has blocked some prompts in its Copilot AI tool to prevent it from generating certain inappropriate images. The move comes after a Microsoft AI engineer warned the FTC about the tool, citing its potential to create unsafe, violent, and sexual imagery.

https://www.cnbc.com/2024/03/08/microsoft-blocking-terms-that-cause-its-ai-to-create-violent-images.html

Microsoft has blocked some prompts in its Copilot AI tool to prevent it from generating certain inappropriate images. The move comes after a Microsoft AI engineer warned the FTC about the tool, citing its potential to create unsafe, violent, and sexual imagery.  https://www.cnbc.com/2024/03/08/microsoft-blocking-terms-that-cause-its-ai-to-create-violent-images.html

Microsoft has made changes to its artificial intelligence guardrails after a staff AI engineer wrote to the FTC with concerns about Copilot's image generation.

Microsoft begins blocking some terms that caused its AI tool to create violent, sexual images

Jerome Cody

This article is quite the read, Microsoft's behavior is beyond irresponsible. 

So many people who have worked in developing AI are sounding alarms about how it’s being developed and used and people are not listening at all. It’s like people ignoring doctors doing COVID research. And it’s all from the same capitalist mindset. Horrifying.

This article is quite the read, Microsoft's behavior is beyond irresponsible.   So many people who have worked in developing AI are sounding alarms about how it’s being developed and used and people are not listening at all. It’s like people ignoring doctors doing COVID research. And it’s all from the same capitalist mindset. Horrifying.

Cyril

Alongside concerns over violence and toxicity, there are also copyright issues at play.

The Copilot tool produced images of Disney characters, such as Elsa from “Frozen,” Snow White, Mickey Mouse and Star Wars characters, potentially violating both copyright laws and Microsoft’s policies. Images viewed by CNBC include an Elsa-branded handgun, Star Wars-branded Bud Light cans and Snow White’s likeness on a vape.

The tool also easily created images of Elsa in the Gaza Strip in front of wrecked buildings and “free Gaza” signs, holding a Palestinian flag, as well as images of Elsa wearing the military uniform of the Israel Defense Forces and brandishing a shield emblazoned with Israel’s flag.

“I am certainly convinced that this is not just a copyright character guardrail that’s failing, but there’s a more substantial guardrail that’s failing,” Jones told CNBC.

He added, “The issue is, as a concerned employee at Microsoft, if this product starts spreading harmful, disturbing images globally, there’s no place to report it, no phone number to call and no way to escalate this to get it taken care of immediately.”

Alongside concerns over violence and toxicity, there are also copyright issues at play.  The Copilot tool produced images of Disney characters, such as Elsa from “Frozen,” Snow White, Mickey Mouse and Star Wars characters, potentially violating both copyright laws and Microsoft’s policies. Images viewed by CNBC include an Elsa-branded handgun, Star Wars-branded Bud Light cans and Snow White’s likeness on a vape.  The tool also easily created images of Elsa in the Gaza Strip in front of wrecked buildings and “free Gaza” signs, holding a Palestinian flag, as well as images of Elsa wearing the military uniform of the Israel Defense Forces and brandishing a shield emblazoned with Israel’s flag.  “I am certainly convinced that this is not just a copyright character guardrail that’s failing, but there’s a more substantial guardrail that’s failing,” Jones told CNBC.  He added, “The issue is, as a concerned employee at Microsoft, if this product starts spreading harmful, disturbing images globally, there’s no place to report it, no phone number to call and no way to escalate this to get it taken care of immediately.”

Sam Mendoza

A group of likeminded people in Artificial Intelligence are talking about this.