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Esko KIVISAARI is Chairperson of the AAE Artificial Intelligence – Data Science Working Group. He is also Past Chairperson of the Actuarial Association of Europe. |
There is the claim that an advanced AI system designed to manufacture paper clips could turn the whole universe into paper clips.
This threat reminds us of a fairy tale by Brothers Grimm. Tale number 103 tells of a poor but good little girl, starving with her mother. She meets an aged woman who gives her a pot with generous abilities. With the words ‘cook, little pot, cook’ it would cook good, sweet millet porridge. With the words ‘stop, little pot’ the cooking ended.
When the little girl was out, her mother got hungry and wanted porridge. She knew how to start, but she had forgotten how to stop the pot from cooking. The pot continued and the whole village got overwhelmed before the little girl came back to stop the cooking.
We are still a shorter or longer time from artificial general intelligence (AGI). It is however anticipated that AGI could escape from human control and turn us into paper clips. There could be a switch to stop the AGI – but the AGI could be wise enough to get rid of this switch.
Actuaries see tremendous possibilities in the use of AI. We are also aware of some threats. We are used to handling unclear outcomes and putting numbers and frameworks behind those. When we see AI used in harmful ways or even escaping human control, we need to be among the first to blow the whistle. Our education and our code of professional conduct etc. give us a good backbone to do this.
We also have the sorcerer’s apprentice attributed to Goethe but probably going back nearly 2000 years to Lucian. The apprentice puts the magic broom to work for but forgets how to stop it. He tries by cutting the broom into pieces, resulting into the pieces carrying water still more efficiently. The story ends with the sorcerer saying that only masters should invoke powerful spirits.
We should act in such a way that actuaries are taken as the trusted masters when AI is put to practice.
This blog is written, on a personal title.
03 December 2025
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