The ‘Godfather of AI’, Geoffrey Hinton, recently left Google in order to raise awareness of the dangers associated with artificial intelligence. In an interview with Reuters, Hinton warned the public that the potential risk posed by AI could be much more urgent than the threat of climate change.
Hinton pointed out that with climate change, it is relatively straightforward to prevent additional damage and eventually the environment will heal. On the other hand, the AI risk is not as clear, leaving people wondering what the ideal course of action would be.
His departure from Google, which he explained in an interview to the New York Times, came at a time when tech giants are competing for AI superiority. Google launched its own chatbot, Bard, in March, which received criticism from the tech giant’s own employees. After the interview, Hinton proved why he left the company on Twitter; he wanted to comment on AI without compromising Google, who he believes are acting responsibly.
Hinton does fear that AI will ultimately jeopardize jobs and spread false information. A research by Goldman Sachs suggested that it could lead to the elimination of 300 million full-time jobs. With this in mind, Hinton shared his worry in the Times interview of whether it was already too late.
Google, who has not yet responded to requests for comment, has not had a public reaction towards Hinton’s departure. Geoffrey Hinton himself has been a pioneer in AI since the ’80s, leading machine-learning research at the University of Toronto, developing learning algorithms and studying the artificial neural network. It is likely that his remarks will have a major effect on the discussion of the AI risk, both in the public and private spheres.
