Turing Award laureate Yoshua Bengio has launched a new nonprofit laboratory focused on enhancing the safety of artificial intelligence systems. The lab, named LawZero, seeks to advance AI research with a strong emphasis on protecting humanity from potential AI-related risks. Bengio announced the initiative in a recent interview, highlighting the urgency of developing more secure and reliable AI technologies.
LawZero has already secured $30 million in initial funding from prominent philanthropic figures and organizations. Contributors include Skype founding engineer Jaan Tallinn, former Google CEO Eric Schmidt, Open Philanthropy, and the Future of Life Institute. The lab’s name is inspired by a classic science fiction principle known as the Zeroth Law of Robotics, which asserts that robotic systems must place human safety above all else.
Bengio, widely regarded as a pioneer in the modern artificial intelligence field and one of its most influential voices, has increasingly advocated for stronger measures to ensure AI safety. He was notably an outspoken supporter of California’s controversial AI safety bill, SB-1047, legislation designed to prevent catastrophic consequences from advanced AI technologies.
In the announcement, Bengio expressed skepticism that leading tech companies such as OpenAI and Google would sufficiently prioritize public safety over competitive developments in AI capability and intelligence. The establishment of LawZero is part of a broader movement within the AI community aimed at guiding the responsible development and deployment of future AI systems.
