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A wake-up call: the AI clock is ticking THE IMD AI SAFETY CLOCK SUPPORTS THE SAFE DEVELOPMENT AND RESPONSIBLE USE OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE BY ASSESSING AND ILLUSTRATING THE RISKS
Concerns over the rapid evolution of AI have triggered a crisis of trust, from fears over job losses to philosophical questions about the future of humanity. In response, Michael Wade and the team at the TONOMOUS Global Center for Digital and AI Transformation in Lausanne have created the “IMD AI Safety Clock” to offer clarity for policymakers and business leaders. Moving between 11:00 pm and midnight, the clock measures how close we are to Uncontrolled Artificial General Intelligence (UAGI) – systems that could operate outside human control with the potential to cause significant harm to humanity. Wade’s team draws on about 4,500 sources to monitor changes in technology
“The IMD AI Safety Clock is designed to raise awareness, not alarm,” says Wade. “By clearly communicating these risks, the clock serves as a tool to make complex issues more understandable and actionable, guiding necessary measures to ensure the responsible development of AI.”
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THE CLOCK CURRENTLY SITS AT 11:36, IN THE HIGH-RISK ZONE
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THE EVOLUTION OF AI
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A TIMELINE OF PROGRESS AND PERIL
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WHAT TIME IS IT? Since its launch in September 2024, the clock has moved five minutes closer to midnight - at 11:36 in the high-risk zone. The latest move, in February, was sparked by factors such as the rise of open source models like DeepSeek and semi-autonomous AI agents like OpenAI Operator, massive US and Chinese AI spending plans, and US moves to rescind legislation providing protection against AI risks. These events, coupled with generally weak global regulation, raise concerns about AI operating beyond human control, emphasizing the urgent need for stronger safety measures to mitigate the risks.
and regulation, from developments in large language models, chips, agentic AI, weaponization, robotics, and critical infrastructure, to evolving global and national regulatory frameworks and the corporate policies of major AI developers.
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36 I by IMD • March 2025
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