Artificial intelligence research must turn focus to safety, Hawking, Musk and others say

Artificial intelligence researchers should focus on ensuring AI systems "do what we want them to do," rather than just advancing and improving the capabilities of the technology, researchers and experts say. An open letter from the Future of Life Institute this week called for expanded research to ensure AI systems are "robust" and benefit society. Works of science fiction like the film Terminator Genisys have long portrayed artificial intelligence taking over the world and destroying humankind. The open letter says it's time to focus research on making AI safe and beneficial to humans. It says: "Our AI systems must do what we want them to do." Max Tegmark, co-founder of the institute, said in an email that the letter is mainly directed at the AI research community and anyone who funds it. It has been signed by hundreds of researchers and other AI experts, along with physicist Stephen Hawking and Elon Musk, founder of Tesla Motors and SpaceX, who have both spoken publicly about the risks of AI.