Geoffrey Hinton, a pioneer in the field of artificial intelligence, recently left his job at Google after more than a decade of service. Hinton, who is often referred to as “the Godfather of A.I.,” was one of the key figures behind the creation of generative artificial intelligence, the technology that powers popular chatbots like ChatGPT.
In a recent interview, Hinton expressed his concerns about the risks associated with A.I. technologies, which he believes pose “profound risks to society and humanity.” He worries that companies are rushing to create products based on generative A.I., and that these products could be used for misinformation or become a risk to jobs and even to humanity.
Hinton’s journey from A.I. groundbreaker to doomsayer marks a remarkable moment for the technology industry. While many industry leaders believe that A.I. systems could be as important as the introduction of the web browser in the early 1990s, Hinton warns that they are releasing something dangerous into the wild.
Hinton’s immediate concern is that the internet will be flooded with false photos, videos, and text, and that the average person will “not be able to know what is true anymore.” He is also worried that A.I. technologies will upend the job market and replace human workers in many industries. In the long term, he is concerned that future versions of the technology could pose a threat to humanity, as they often learn unexpected behavior from the vast amounts of data they analyze.
Hinton believes that the race between Google, Microsoft, and other tech giants will escalate into a global race that will not stop without some sort of global regulation. However, he acknowledges that this may be impossible, as there is no way of knowing whether companies or countries are working on the technology in secret.
In conclusion, Hinton’s departure from Google and his warning of the potential danger ahead are important reminders that we must be cautious when developing and deploying A.I. technologies. As we continue to push the boundaries of what is possible with A.I., we must also ensure that we are developing these technologies in a responsible and ethical manner.