AI Pioneer Geoffrey Hinton Leaves Google, Expresses Concerns over Technology’s Risks
Washington: Geoffrey Hinton, a renowned computer scientist often referred to as “the godfather of artificial intelligence,” has resigned from his position at Google to voice his concerns about the perils associated with AI technology, according to reports from US media on Monday.
Hinton, credited with developing fundamental AI technology, conveyed to The New York Times that the progress made in the field presents “profound risks to society and humanity.”
Reflecting on the changes that have occurred in the past five years, Hinton emphasized the alarming implications of propelling these advancements into the future. He remarked, “Look at how it was five years ago and how it is now. Take the difference and propagate it forwards. That’s scary.”
Hinton raised concerns about the competitive race among tech giants, which compels companies to release new AI technologies at a perilous pace, endangering employment opportunities and facilitating the spread of misinformation.
“It is hard to see how you can prevent the bad actors from using it for bad things,” Hinton commented in his interview with The Times.
In 2022, Google and OpenAI, the startup behind the widely popular AI chatbot ChatGPT, embarked on constructing systems that harness significantly larger volumes of data compared to previous practices.
Hinton suggested that these systems surpass human intelligence in certain aspects due to the extensive data they analyze. “Maybe what is going on in these systems is actually a lot better than what is going on in the brain,” he speculated.
While AI has been employed to augment human productivity, the rapid proliferation of chatbots like ChatGPT raises concerns about job security.
According to Hinton, AI “reduces menial work” but potentially poses a threat beyond that realm, a sentiment he shared with The Times.
The computer scientist also warned about the potential dissemination of misinformation fostered by AI, highlighting the unsettling consequence that the average person may struggle to discern truth from falsehood.
Hinton formally resigned from his position at Google in the previous month, as reported by The Times. Jeff Dean, lead scientist for Google AI, extended gratitude to Hinton and stated, “As one of the first companies to publish AI Principles, we remain committed to a responsible approach to AI.” He further expressed that Google continues to adapt its strategies by comprehending emerging risks while pursuing innovative developments.
In March, renowned entrepreneur Elon Musk and a consortium of experts advocated for a pause in the advancement of AI systems to ensure their safety.
The release of GPT-4, a considerably more powerful iteration of the technology employed by ChatGPT, prompted an open letter signed by over 1,000 individuals, including Musk and Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak.
Although Hinton did not sign the letter initially, he revealed to The New York Times that scientists should exercise caution and refrain from “scaling this up more until they have understood whether they can control it.”
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