The US artificial intelligence (AI) firm Anthropic is looking to hire a chemical weapons and high-yield explosives expert to try to prevent 'catastrophic misuse' of its software. In other words, it fears that its AI tools might tell someone how to make chemical or radioactive weapons, and wants an expert to ensure its guardrails are sufficiently robust.
In the LinkedIn recruitment post, the firm says applicants should have a minimum of five years experience in 'chemical weapons and/or explosives defence' as well as knowledge of 'radiological dispersal devices' – also known as dirty bombs. The firm told the BBC the role was similar to jobs in other sensitive areas that it has already created.
Anthropic is not the only AI firm adopting this strategy. A similar position has been advertised by ChatGPT developer OpenAI. On its careers website, it lists a job vacancy for a researcher in 'biological and chemical risks', with a salary of up to $455,000 (£335,000), almost double that offered by Anthropic.
But some experts are alarmed by the risks of this approach, warning that it gives AI tools information about weapons - even if they have been instructed not to use it. Dr. Stephanie Hare, a tech researcher, questioned whether it is ever safe to use AI systems to handle sensitive chemicals and explosives information, including dirty bombs and other radiological weapons.
With no international treaty or regulation specifically for this type of work and the use of AI with these types of weapons, experts express concern about the processes happening behind closed doors as the urgency of the situation increases amid rising military tensions globally.
As the US government engages with AI firms during military operations, the need for rigorous oversight in the rapidly evolving AI landscape becomes increasingly crucial.
In the LinkedIn recruitment post, the firm says applicants should have a minimum of five years experience in 'chemical weapons and/or explosives defence' as well as knowledge of 'radiological dispersal devices' – also known as dirty bombs. The firm told the BBC the role was similar to jobs in other sensitive areas that it has already created.
Anthropic is not the only AI firm adopting this strategy. A similar position has been advertised by ChatGPT developer OpenAI. On its careers website, it lists a job vacancy for a researcher in 'biological and chemical risks', with a salary of up to $455,000 (£335,000), almost double that offered by Anthropic.
But some experts are alarmed by the risks of this approach, warning that it gives AI tools information about weapons - even if they have been instructed not to use it. Dr. Stephanie Hare, a tech researcher, questioned whether it is ever safe to use AI systems to handle sensitive chemicals and explosives information, including dirty bombs and other radiological weapons.
With no international treaty or regulation specifically for this type of work and the use of AI with these types of weapons, experts express concern about the processes happening behind closed doors as the urgency of the situation increases amid rising military tensions globally.
As the US government engages with AI firms during military operations, the need for rigorous oversight in the rapidly evolving AI landscape becomes increasingly crucial.
