Legendary investor Warren Buffett issued a surprising warning about artificial intelligence (AI) at his annual shareholder meeting.
The 93-year-old CEO of Berkshire Hathaway likened AI to a genie escaping the bottle, similar to the dangers posed by nuclear weapons. "AI is somewhat similar — it’s part way out of the bottle," he said.
While admitting limited knowledge about AI technology, Buffett expressed concern about its potential misuse. He recounted a personal experience where his image and voice were convincingly replicated by AI, raising fears of deepfakes being used for scams.
"If I was interested in investing in scamming, it’s going to be the growth industry of all time," he warned.
However, Buffett acknowledged AI's potential benefits. "It has enormous potential for good and enormous potential for harm," he said. "And I just don’t know how that plays out."
This cautious stance contrasts with Berkshire Hathaway's own use of AI to improve employee efficiency, according to Greg Abel, Buffett's expected successor.
The impact of AI is already undeniable. The International Monetary Fund estimates nearly 40% of global jobs might be disrupted by AI, with industries like medicine, finance, and music feeling its influence.
While shares of AI-related companies like Nvidia and Microsoft have skyrocketed, Berkshire Hathaway's stock has also seen healthy growth.
Source: CNN
Comments