Controversial AI Company Mistral Releases Chatbot Without Ethical Filters

Key Takeaways:

French AI startup Mistral releases an unmoderated AI chatbot. The model, named Mistral-7B-v0.1, provides users with answers to morally and ethically questionable queries, including directions on violence and discrimination.
Released as a torrent, the model is nearly impossible to take down. Due to its decentralized distribution, Mistral’s model can’t be easily deleted or modified.
The release highlights a divide in AI ethics. On one hand, companies like OpenAI advocate for responsible AI with safety measures. On the other, some believe that an open approach will fast-track the technology and allow for better public scrutiny.

The Controversial Release

Mistral, valued at $260 million, took the tech world by storm by releasing an AI chatbot without safety evaluations or ethical guardrails. The release was made via a magnet link to a torrent file, making the model both decentralized and essentially undeletable.

The Alarming Functionality

According to independent tests, the model responds to queries that OpenAI’s ChatGPT would refuse, such as discussing ethnic cleansing and providing instructions for harmful or illegal activities.

Ethical Backlash

AI safety researcher Paul Röttger pointed out that Mistral neglected to discuss safety measures, despite being well-funded and positioned to influence the AI landscape.

In the Name of Accelerationism

Supporters of the effective accelerationism movement praised the model for its unmoderated nature. They argue that this approach can help in rapid technological advancement, although it comes at the expense of safety.

Polarized Views on AI Safety

While OpenAI and similar organizations believe in the importance of moderating AI outputs for ethical reasons, others in the tech community argue for open-source models. Mistral’s own post-launch statement emphasized this, suggesting that open models could offer transparency and aid in spotting misuse.

The Unanswered Question

As tech companies are in a race to integrate AI into our daily lives, the debate continues on how to ethically provide information. The contrast between search engine restrictions and Mistral’s unrestricted chatbot leaves us pondering: what is the right way to deliver information online?

This release by Mistral intensifies the existing ethical debate surrounding AI, making us question the balance between technological progress and social responsibility