Jaishankar cautions ‘AI is just as dangerous as nuclear weapons’. Here’s why

India's Minister of External Affairs, S. Jaishankar, at the third Kautilya Economic Conclave, Delhi, said that artificial intelligence, along with factors like demographics and connectivity, will change the global order, according to mutiple media reports.

“Demographic, connectivity and AI will change the global order,” said the external affairs minister at the economic conclave.

Jaishankar also highlighted that artificial intelligence is likely going to be the most significant factor in the global ecosystem and termed AI as dangerous for the world, similar to nuclear weapons.

“AI is probably going to be the most profound factor in the global ecosystem. It is just as dangerous for the world as nuclear weapons were once,” said Jaishankar at the economic conclave, according to media reports.

Globalisation: A new weapon

External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar also highlighted how globalisation is becoming like a weapon for the next decade and said the world should remain cautious, according to an Economic Times report citing the minister.

Globalisation has divided the world, and many people blame it for job losses and other negative aspects of the revolution. Jaishankar said that the issue will persist as long as the change (globalisation) remains, according to the report.

“Social and political backlash over globalisation has gained momentum in the last decade. Realities of globalisation with inevitably collide with protectionism,” said Jaishankar, as per the report.

Jaishankar also commented about the functionality of the global body of the United Nations at the economic conclave.

UN like an old company

At the third Kautilya Economic Conclave in Delhi, the external affairs minister highlighted that the United Nations is like an old company, which does not keep up with the market but occupies the space for the same.

Jaishankar also drew a symmetry between companies and countries and said that while the United Nations aims to mainstream principal players with market trends, when they are not, countries, like companies, start doing their own thing.

“In a way, the UN is like an old company, not entirely keeping up with the market but occupying the space. When it's behind times, in this world to have start-ups, and innovations, different people start doing their own things,” said Jaishankar.

“Now, they would like to mainstream that into the market and see that the principal players are in-tuned with these trends but when they are not, I think countries, as companies do, start doing their own things,” said the external affairs minister in the conclave.