Geoffrey Hinton, the “Godfather of AI” who helped lay the foundation for the current boom in artificial intelligence, has quit his job at Google and expressed regrets and fears about his life’s work. Alongside two other pioneers in the field, Hinton won the Turing Award in 2018 for his groundbreaking work on neural networks, which led to the creation of technologies such as ChatGPT and Google Bard.
In an interview with The New York Times, Hinton revealed that he resigned from Google in order to speak more openly about the risks of AI. He expressed concerns about the potential misuse of the technology by bad actors and the spread of fake imagery and text, warning that this could lead to a world where it is difficult to discern what is true.
Hinton’s worries extend beyond misinformation, however. He is also concerned about the impact of AI on jobs and the possibility of the technology becoming so advanced that it surpasses human intelligence and begins to write and run its own code.
“The idea that this stuff could actually get smarter than people…most people thought it was way off. And I thought it was way off. I thought it was 30 to 50 years or even longer away. Obviously, I no longer think that,” Hinton said.
Hinton’s concerns are shared by many in the AI community, who have called for responsible development and deployment of the technology. Google’s chief scientist, Jeff Dean, sought to reassure the public by stating that the company remains committed to a responsible approach to AI and is constantly learning to understand emerging risks while innovating boldly.
Hinton’s departure from Google marks a significant moment in the evolution of AI. As one of the field’s most respected and influential figures, his decision to speak out about the risks of the technology signals a growing awareness of the need to balance innovation with responsible development.
Despite his regrets, Hinton remains committed to advancing the field of AI and is now working on a new project that aims to create machines that can understand common sense. His work has the potential to help address some of the most pressing challenges facing humanity, such as climate change and inequality.
As the world continues to grapple with the implications of AI, it is clear that responsible development and deployment of the technology will be critical in shaping its impact on society. With visionaries like Geoffrey Hinton leading the way, we can be hopeful that AI will be used for the greater good and that we will be able to navigate its risks and challenges with wisdom and foresight.
