President of Belarus Urges Caution in Development of Artificial Intelligence

During his speech at the Federation Council as part of his official visit to Russia, President Alexander Lukashenko of Belarus emphasized the importance of proceeding cautiously with the development of artificial intelligence (AI).

He expressed the view that while it is essential to engage with IT technologies and the subject of AI, which is currently a hot topic, it is crucial not to rush too far ahead. "We shouldn't take steps that society cannot understand or perceive," he clarified.

Lukashenko shared insights from discussions with high-level foreign experts involved in AI, noting that even they are uncertain about the ultimate implications of this technology.

"They do not have answers to these questions. I asked: 'Will we even be needed in due time? We don’t know.' I wonder why we’re pursuing this if you’re leading us in that direction. The response was: 'Because it’s profitable, that’s why we’re doing it,'" he recounted from his private meetings.

He stressed the need to advance cautiously, stating, "Yes, we should take half a step or a step ahead. Our shared history teaches us that."

Lukashenko made it clear that he is not against progress but believes that it is important not to implement changes that may be unnecessary or incomprehensible to people in the near future.

"Artificial intelligence should certainly be addressed, in my opinion, but we need to focus on what is necessary today and tomorrow. We should not frighten people with AI, as more than 90% of society has heard about it but does not understand what it actually is," the President concluded.