Warren Buffett thinks AI is a nuclear weapons ‘genie’ that can’t go back in bottle: ‘Makes me nervous’

Warren Buffett reflected on Artificial Intelligence (AI) and the impact that it could have at the Berkshire Hathaway annual shareholder meeting. Likening AI's transformative power to that of nuclear energy. Warren Buffett shared a personal encounter with AI technology when he saw a seemingly realistic video of himself delivering a message that he never actually did.

Warren Buffett shares recent experience with AI

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He said, “I had one experience that does make me a little nervous, and I’ll just explain it. Fairly recently, I saw an image in front of my eyes on the screen, and it was me and it was my voice. And wearing the kind of clothes I wear. My wife or my daughter wouldn’t have been able to detect any difference. And it was delivering a message that no way came from me.”

Warren Buffett on the AI being a genie

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Warren Buffett said, “Last year I said that we let a genie out of the bottle when we, when we developed nuclear weapons, and that Genie has been doing some terrible things lately. And the power of that genie is what, you know, scares the hell out of me. And then I don’t know any way to get the genie back in the bottle. And AI is somewhat similar.”

Warren Buffett on managing AI better

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Despite the challenges, Warren Buffett asserted that there is a lot of potential for AI to bring "terrific benefits" if managed correctly.

Warren Buffett also said that Berkshire Hathaway’s primary hunting ground for investments will continue to be the United States as “we have preferred to largely invest in the US; companies here are unmatched. We did commit to Japan because it was overwhelmingly compelling.”