AI's existential risk: Godfather Hinton calls for regulation
Geoffrey Hinton, known as the "godfather of AI," has expressed concerns about the growing threat of artificial intelligence. According to "LadBible," Hinton estimated that the risk of AI leading to the downfall of humanity has increased to 20 per cent.
Geoffrey Hinton, a Nobel Prize winner in Physics for his research in artificial intelligence, has voiced serious concerns about the pace of AI development. Hinton, often referred to as the "godfather of AI," noted that progress in this field is happening much faster than expected. He left his position at Google to share his thoughts on the dangers posed by artificial intelligence.
In an interview with BBC Radio 4, Hinton estimated that there is a 10-20 per cent chance that AI could lead to the downfall of humanity. He pointed out that humans have never before faced a being more intelligent than themselves, which presents an extraordinary challenge. "How many examples do you know of a more intelligent thing being controlled by a less intelligent thing?" he asked rhetorically.
The professor emphasized that slowing down AI development is only possible through the introduction of government regulations, which would force corporations to adopt a more responsible approach to this technology. Illustrating the potential intelligence gap between humans and AI, Hinton compared us to three-year-olds in the face of a significantly more powerful machine intellect.
The Nobel laureate admitted that the scale and speed of AI development surprised even himself. Experts forecast that in the next 20 years, AI systems surpassing human intelligence will emerge, which Hinton sees as an alarming prospect. In his view, only appropriate regulations can delay this process and reduce the associated risks with the technology.
According to "LadBible," Hinton's concerns include the risk of AI flooding the internet with false content, generating disinformation, and political manipulation. He also pointed to the possible loss of jobs, which could shake the employment market.
Can artificial intelligence be dangerous?
During a recent meeting at Bletchley Park, which brought together politicians, tech industry leaders, and AI experts, including Hinton, global threats associated with artificial intelligence were discussed.
Discussions focused on the need for international cooperation in regulation to prevent AI from achieving self-awareness or creating biological weapons. It was indicated that AI should be monitored as rigorously as nuclear technologies because without proper regulations, it could become a threat on the scale of weapons of mass destruction.
