‘AI is bigger than any country or company,’ Meta's Global President Nick Clegg weighs in on AI regulation

Meta's Global President, Nick Clegg, recently engaged in an exclusive and insightful conversation on the subject of artificial intelligence (AI) with Rahul Kanwal on India Today. The discussion delved into the widespread impact of AI and the crucial question of who should regulate this transformative technology.

Kanwal kicked off the interview by asking Clegg about the escalating prominence of AI and how it has captured the global imagination. Clegg emphasised that while AI might seem like a contemporary phenomenon, it has actually been in existence for several decades. He acknowledged that there is currently a lot of buzz surrounding generative AI, exemplified by the popularity of tools like ChatGPT, which can craft compelling text for various purposes, such as school essays or wedding speeches. Nevertheless, Clegg stressed that the current AI enthusiasm should not overshadow the fact that AI has been an integral part of numerous platforms for many years.

“At Meta, we've been using AI for ages there anything you see on Facebook or Instagram has in one way or another been touched by AI,” Clegg said.

As an executive of Meta, Clegg underlined that AI has long been integrated into the workings of platforms like Facebook and Instagram. It plays a significant role behind the scenes, shaping and enhancing user experiences. However, the prevailing excitement over generative AI has somewhat obscured the extensive use of AI in these tech platforms.

Addressing the issue of regulation, Clegg highlighted that the key lies in identifying the specific harms and challenges associated with AI. “I think how to regulate them as a question of first working out what harms and problems you're trying to deal with,” he said.

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Whether it's concerns related to intellectual property, copyright infringement, or the spread of misinformation, it's crucial to pinpoint the specific problems that need to be addressed. Once these challenges are clearly defined, the next step is to evaluate whether existing laws are adequate to handle them effectively, according to Clegg.

“Some of the existing laws we have will be able to be applied to AI and some new laws will be required,” Clegg said.

According to Clegg, a blend of existing and new laws will likely be required to regulate AI successfully. While some of the current statutes might be applicable to AI-related issues, there will undoubtedly be a need for fresh legislation tailored to the unique challenges posed by AI technologies. As these new laws are developed, Clegg expressed his hope that the process would be a collaborative international effort.

“My hope is that the new laws developed should be more internationally collaborative because this technology is bigger than any country, bigger than any company so it needs to be dealt with,” Clegg concluded.

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