Even as artificial intelligence (AI) continues to dominate discussions in the tech world, Elon Musk, who has previously shown concern about AI being “one of the biggest risks” to humanity, has jokingly suggested that the virtual assistant Clippy could be the leader of AI. Musk made the quip on Twitter in response to a tweet from a troll account which put forward Clippy as a potential leader of AI.
Clippy is an anthropomorphic paper clip which was developed by Microsoft Corporation MSFT in the 90s, and was eventually phased out due to mixed reception and criticism of its intrusive nature. However, it made a comeback earlier this year as an animated character.
Musk’s jest has sparked a flurry of online memes about Clippy. The wider concern about AI supplanting humans has been echoed by several people, including investment guru Warren Buffet and Geoffrey Hinton, who is known as the “Godfather of AI”. About 61% of Americans believe that AI could pose a threat to humanity.
Read More: Sundar Pichai Agrees With Sam Altman, Elon Musk: AI Is Too ‘Important Not To Regulate Well’