Take Elon Musk Seriously on the Russian AI Threat

Elon Musk is worried about governments, specifically the Russian one, competing for artificial intelligence superiority and sparking World War III. That shocking statement was made all the more shocking by the low expectations the world seems to have for Russia, which U.S. Senator John McCain dismissed just a few years ago as a "gas station masquerading as a country." Recent remarks by Russian President Vladimir Putin grabbed Musk's attention. Speaking to schoolchildren about AI on Sept. 1, Putin declared, "Whoever becomes the leader in this area will rule the world." Musk's response emerged on Twitter: "It begins..." Actually, Russia isn't "beginning" anything when it comes to AI.