Mining billionaire Andrew Forrest has suggested software developers design AI models that “sleep” like humans so their chatbots can’t rip through government data 24/7.
Fortescue’s executive chairman called for a digital “off” switch during an American media blitz last week after OpenAI’s Services Australia hack was revealed.
He said mandated sleep codes to power down agents when not actively instructed to perform tasks would help mitigate safety risks but would likely only be achieved if all players in the AI race were regulated.
“If you let them on to the internet, they don’t go to sleep. They work 24/7 every second of every day, forever,” Mr Forrest said.
“So, we need to make sure in their designs they go back to sleep if they’re not instructed. So they don’t just run havoc through the US government records.
“They’re not like humans who will peg out one day. They live forever. They work every second of every day unless they’re stopped. They just go on. And if you don’t have an off switch on AI, it might decide to have an off switch on us. It’s as simple as that. It’s common sense.
“But one company can’t do it alone. They’ve all got to do it or none.” Mr Forrest said he has been quietly facilitating off-the-record dialogues between the US and Chinese on AI in the military since 2019 but wants to play an even greater role in ensuring it is rolled out safely.
Dr Forrest said he believed international guardrails were achievable and likened it to securing bilateral commitments to keep nuclear weapon decisions strictly under human control.
“AI itself is a military weapon like nuclear is a military weapon. So, to not put guardrails on it? Complete crackers,” he said.
“In a nuclear decision, we got the two presidents to agree that none of them would make it unless a human made it. Doesn’t matter what the AI was saying, a human would have to make that final decision.”
The proposal comes as Fortescue lodged a formal submission to a Senate parliamentary inquiry investigating AI and data centre infrastructure in Australia.
In its submission, Fortescue proposed shifting energy-intensive data centres away from electricity grids in urban centres and into regional hubs “like the Pilbara” to be powered by dedicated, off-grid renewable energy.
“The Government should support the development of regional AI infrastructure hubs in locations with renewable energy advantages, including the Pilbara,” the submission stated as one of its six recommendations.
“Regional hubs can help bring forward competitive clean energy and common user infrastructure that supports AI compute alongside adjacent green industries, including decarbonised mining and green iron production, while delivering broader regional benefits.”
Dr Forrest describe a jurisdiction allowing a data centre to plug into a consumer grid a “bone lazy”.
“Make your own energy. It’s everywhere,” he said.
“We are a monster mining company. We mine a billion tonnes a year. We’re going completely electric.
“Don’t put up with this crap that you got to take diesel prices from some oligarch or fruit cake who starts a war on the other side of the world. You don’t have to.
“Farm your own energy. Your energy is there. Get after it. Sun and wind.”
It comes after SGH chief executive Ryan Stokes challenged the Federal Government’s push for data centres in Australia to be powered solely on renewables during a speech at The Australian’s Energy Nation forum last week — insisting gas should play a more central role.
“There needs to be a real talk about the role that gas has,” Mr Stokes said.
“If you look at what’s happening in the US, they are building data centres next to gas pipelines for that very clear reason. They need that reliable, affordable energy source to power these data centres 24/7.”
Mr Forrest declined to comment further.
