The 'Godfather of AI' backs a new watchdog plan to track OpenAI and Anthropic's AI risks from the inside

Anthropic and OpenAI said they'd welcome evaluators to track AI risks. A group of watchdogs, backed by pioneers like Geoffrey Hinton, has its answer.

The 'Godfather of AI' backs a new watchdog plan to track OpenAI and Anthropic's AI risks from the inside

TL;DR

  • The AI Evaluator Forum has outlined "minimum conditions" for third-party AI risk watchdogs.
  • These conditions are aimed at ensuring "scientific objectivity, transparency, independence, and robust protections against interference" for evaluators.
  • The letter was signed by dozens of individuals from the AI ecosystem, including Geoffrey Hinton and Stuart Russell.
  • This initiative responds to commitments from Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei and OpenAI CEO Sam Altman to welcome third-party evaluators.
  • Evaluators should have unfiltered communication with company boards and the ability to release findings publicly.
  • They should be shielded from retaliation and granted access to the same resources as company assessors.
  • The forum includes groups like METR and the AI Verification and Evaluation Research Institute (AVERI).
  • Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella has expressed support for the idea of embedded evaluators.