According to a recent article published in The New York Times, Hinton believes that the rapid advancements in AI pose significant risks to society and humanity.
Hinton, who is often referred to as the “godfather of AI,” has been a prominent figure in the field for several decades. He is best known for his work on neural networks, a type of AI technology that is based on the structure and function of the human brain. His contributions to the field have helped to create the foundation for many of the AI systems in use today.
However, despite his significant contributions to the field, Hinton has become increasingly concerned about the direction that AI is taking. In his interview with The New York Times, he expressed worry that the rapid pace of technological advancement is outpacing society’s ability to regulate and control it. He cited the large amounts of data being used in AI systems and the potential for these systems to eclipse human intelligence as causes for concern.
Hinton also warned about the potential for AI to cause widespread job loss and to spread misinformation. He believes that the competition between tech giants to release new AI technologies at a breakneck pace is putting society at risk.
In response to Hinton’s resignation, Jeff Dean, lead scientist for Google AI, issued a statement expressing the company’s commitment to responsible AI development. He noted that Google was one of the first companies to publish AI principles and that they were continually learning to understand emerging risks while also innovating boldly.
Hinton’s concerns are not unique. In March of 2023, tech billionaire Elon Musk and other experts called for a pause in the development of AI systems to ensure their safety. An open letter signed by over 1,000 people, including Musk and Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak, was prompted by the release of GPT-4, a more powerful version of the technology used by ChatGPT.
Hinton did not sign the letter at the time, but he did caution against scaling up AI until scientists could better understand how to control it. He believes that AI has the potential to revolutionise many aspects of society, but that it must be developed responsibly and with caution.
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