Geoffrey Hinton, widely known as the “Godfather of Artificial Intelligence”, is a computer scientist at Google and the University of Toronto, who is discussing the advancements in AI and the potential consequence they may have on humanity. Hinton believes that general purpose AI is developing on a faster timeline than people assumed, suggesting that this could be in 20 years or less. When asked specifically about AI wiping out humanity, Hinton replied that it is “not inconceivable”.
This statement comes with the increasing development of AI-related software that can complete different tasks, such as OpenAI’s ChatGPT, an AI chatbot that creates songs, content, and can even write code. While OpenAI’s CEO Sam Altman supports the development of AI, he mentions that it is also important to be cautious about it. Hinton agrees, suggesting that people should be worrying about the issue now, though it will not occur in the near future.
It is critical to consider and address the long-term effects AI software can have, and companies such as OpenAI are heavily emphasizing the importance of caution. In the meantime, other businesses such as Google and the University of Toronto continue to invest in research in AI to best advance technology while looking out for the potential risks they may bring.
