‘Godfather of AI’ shortens odds of the technology wiping out humanity over next 30 years
GuardianDec 25, 2024
The Facts
British-Canadian computer scientist Geoffrey Hinton, who won the 2024 Nobel Prize in Physics, warned that artificial intelligence (AI) is developing "much faster" than expected and poses dangerous risks to humanity.
Hinton — widely seen as the godfather of AI — resigned from his position at Google in 2023, citing concerns about "bad actors" potentially misusing the technology and the rapid pace of AI development outpacing necessary safety research.
The Spin
Pro-establishment narrative
Advanced AI systems represent an unprecedented technological breakthrough that could revolutionize healthcare, science, and productivity, potentially solving many of humanity's most pressing and insurmountable challenges through increased efficiency and innovation. Making AI — which poses considerably less of a threat to society than most other potential causes of human extinction, including nuclear weapons — a villain is an overreach.
Establishment-critical narrative
While AI is an economically transformative technology, its rapid development without adequate safety measures and regulation poses severe risks to human society, including potential job displacement, economic inequality, and even existential threats to human civilization. Ignoring growing evidence that AI systems could become uncontrollable could be catastrophic. Time is running out for the world to take action.
