Microsoft says AI could save “tons of money” if it learns to ask humans for help

A Microsoft executive said that AI should learn to ask humans to help, as it could use some assistance and still save “tons of money”.

Generative AI tools are all over the tech scene now. Companies like OpenAI, Google, and Anthropic are focused on making these tools more accurate by reducing instances of AI “hallucinations,” where the AI generates incorrect information. But they are not quite there yet.

Vik Singh, a Microsoft vice president, said a lot of the issues with current AI models can be solved if they admit when they don’t know what to do.

“Just to be really frank, the thing that’s really missing today is that a model doesn’t raise its hands and say ‘Hey, I’m not sure, I need help,” Singh told AFP in an interview.

According to Singh, a more humble AI model could still be just as valuable. Even if it needs to refer to a human 50% of the time, it would still save “tons of money.”

Microsoft

Singh joined Microsoft in January and took over as head of the teams developing Copilot this summer, according to AFP. Copilot is Microsoft’s AI assistant that specializes in sales, accounting, and online services.

While AI has certainly been a term we’ve heard a lot this year, it hasn’t yet reached the promised revolutionary phase. The Economist reported that despite tech firms pouring money into AI development and related hardware, the technology has had almost no economic impact so far.

The Information claimed in July that OpenAI, which is the leading AI developer right now, is at risk of bankruptcy within 12 months and could lose as much as $5 billion in 2024.

The startup needs more funding to stay afloat, and it might secure it from Apple, Microsoft, Nvidia, and Tiger Global, which would push its valuation above 100 billion USD.