Signal Boss Meredith Whittaker: AI 'Can Always Be Controlled'

AI can always be controlled, the president of encrypted messaging app Signal has told the BBC. Meredith Whittaker said fears that AI could become conscious and take over were "not anchored in science and evidence", warning instead about the dangers of using the technology in military decision-making. The former Google employee said AI could "supercharge mistakes" and reflected on her role in opposing the company's involvement in a US military drone surveillance project. Whittaker argues that the real threat is not a sentient AI but the human decisions that deploy AI in high-stakes contexts without adequate oversight. In this BBC News interview, Whittaker discusses the need for robust regulation and ethical guidelines to ensure AI is used responsibly. She also highlights the importance of privacy and encryption in an era of increasing digital surveillance, drawing on her experience leading Signal.