Former Google CEO Eric Schmidt has issued a stark warning about artificial intelligence’s potential to fundamentally transform how children learn and develop their worldviews. Speaking at Princeton University this week to promote his forthcoming book, “Genesis: Artificial Intelligence, Hope, and the Human Spirit,” Schmidt expressed concern that most people and governments are unprepared for the rapid technological changes AI will bring.
Schmidt co-authored the book with Craig Mundie, former Microsoft CTO and OpenAI advisor, and the late American diplomat Henry Kissinger. During his talk, he emphasized that “normal people” outside elite academic circles are not ready for AI’s arrival, nor are their governments, processes, or doctrines.
The tech executive, who has extensive experience advising the US government on technology matters, painted a concerning picture of AI’s potential influence on children. He suggested that in the future, a child’s best friend could be “not human,” raising critical questions about who controls these AI companions and what values they instill. Schmidt compared this scenario to having Mark Zuckerberg as a “surrogate parent” deciding what children learn.
Schmidt’s concerns extend beyond individual relationships to geopolitical implications. He warned that state-sponsored AI companions could be far more dangerous than traditional misinformation campaigns, as they would have daily interactions that shape identity and cultural values. He questioned what happens to global cultural diversity if AI is built primarily by one country, presumably the United States.
The former Google executive has deep ties to both government and military AI applications. He chaired the Defense Innovation Board in 2016 and the US National Security Commission on Artificial Intelligence in 2018. More recently, he founded White Stork, a startup building AI attack drones, and has described himself as having become an “arms dealer” due to the Ukraine War.
Schmidt acknowledged that humanity’s transition to AI will be “rocky” and drew parallels to social media’s unintended consequences. He admitted that when social media was invented, no one anticipated it would become “a threat to democracy,” suggesting AI could have similarly unforeseen impacts. He expressed concern that most people might use personal AI for entertainment or confirmation bias rather than genuine learning and growth.
Key Quotes
I can assure you that the humans in the rest of the world, all the normal people — because you all are not normal, sorry to say, you’re special in some way — the normal people are not ready. Their governments are not ready. The government processes are not ready. The doctrines are not ready. They’re not ready for the arrival of this.
Eric Schmidt told the Princeton University audience that society at large is unprepared for AI’s transformative impact, emphasizing the gap between elite understanding and general readiness for these technological changes.
Is it OK that … it’s the equivalent of Mark Zuckerberg as just the surrogate parent who gets to decide what your kid learns and doesn’t learn.
Schmidt raised concerns about AI companions for children, questioning whether tech executives should have such profound influence over child development and education through AI systems that could become children’s best friends.
If you think about state-sponsored misinformation, that’s trivial compared to having your best friend be state-sponsored, and they sort of have daily interaction and shape someone’s identity, their cultural values.
The former Google CEO warned that AI companions could be weaponized for influence operations far more effectively than traditional propaganda, as they would have intimate, ongoing relationships with users that shape their fundamental worldview.
One of the things that’s worth saying is that none of us thought, when we invented social media, that we would become a threat to democracy. That wasn’t on the list of attributes. And these are the unintended effects of technologies that touch humans.
Schmidt acknowledged the tech industry’s failure to anticipate social media’s negative consequences, using this as a cautionary tale for AI development and suggesting similar unforeseen impacts could emerge from artificial intelligence.
Our Take
Schmidt’s warnings reveal a growing recognition within the tech elite that AI development has outpaced ethical frameworks and societal preparation. His pivot from Google CEO to defense contractor with White Stork demonstrates how AI is simultaneously being developed for both consumer applications and military use—a duality that raises profound questions about priorities and values.
What’s particularly striking is Schmidt’s admission about social media’s unintended consequences. This suggests the industry knows it’s repeating past mistakes but feels unable or unwilling to slow down. The comparison between AI companions and “surrogate parents” controlled by tech billionaires crystallizes the power dynamics at stake.
His concern about American AI cultural dominance is noteworthy coming from someone deeply embedded in US tech and defense circles. It suggests even AI’s architects recognize the technology could homogenize global culture in unprecedented ways, potentially erasing diversity in the name of technological progress.
Why This Matters
Schmidt’s warnings carry significant weight given his unique position at the intersection of Big Tech, government policy, and AI development. As someone who led Google during its transformation into an AI powerhouse and continues to advise on national security matters, his concerns about societal readiness deserve serious attention.
The issue of AI companions for children represents a critical frontier in technology ethics. Unlike previous technologies that mediated human relationships, AI could fundamentally replace them, potentially giving tech companies unprecedented influence over child development and cultural formation. This raises urgent questions about regulation, parental rights, and corporate responsibility.
Schmidt’s comparison to social media’s democracy-threatening unintended consequences is particularly relevant. Social platforms took years to reveal their societal impacts, but AI’s influence could be more immediate and profound. His call for safety requirements and design standards suggests the industry recognizes these risks but hasn’t yet developed adequate safeguards.
The geopolitical dimension Schmidt raises—about American AI dominance potentially erasing other cultures—highlights how AI development is becoming a matter of cultural sovereignty, not just technological competition. This could reshape international relations and accelerate the global AI race.
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Source: https://www.businessinsider.com/eric-schmidt-ex-google-ceo-ai-book-kissinger-white-stork-2024-11