Once AI systems start to self-improve their capabilities, ensuring they remain safe will require someone that is ready and able to shut them down, according to Silicon Valley veteran Eric Schmidt. Former Google CEO Eric Schmidt cautioned that AI systems might need a kill switch to shut them down if they get too powerful.

Former Google chief executive Eric Schmidt warns the U.S. must win the artificial intelligence race against China, but says the systems must also be controlled.

However, Eric Schmidt, ex-Google CEO, warns that this level of advancement in AI can even be dangerous for humans. He also recalls China’s advances in industry. It is not common for a new technology to establish itself as fundamental in the tech industry.

Schmidt warned that the ability for AI systems to self-improve could be closer than many anticipate, potentially arriving within the next few years. He described a future where these systems not only

Former Google CEO Eric Schmidt said that the power of artificial intelligence can reach a “dangerous” point in the future and that humanity should be ready to step away from it should the time come. “When the system can self-improve,

The former head of Google (GOOGL) says computers will soon be able to make their own decisions — and humans will need to know when to pull the plug.

Former CEO & Chairman of Google Eric Schmidt speaks during a book talk for Fareed Zakaria's new book, "Age of Revolutions: Progress and Backlash from 1600 to the Present" at Columbia University's School of International and Public Affairs on April 3.