Technology AI, Science and New Things
Last year, the British researcher Geoffrey Hinton quit his job at Google to be able to speak freely about the dangers of AI. Yesterday he won a Nobel Prize in physics, alongside US scientist John Hopfield, for their discoveries in machine learning that underpinned AI’s development.
The award might stretch the definition of physics. But a member of the Nobel committee said the pair were “true pioneers: finding new ways to tackle problems”.
Speaking from a hotel in California after the announcement, Hinton said AI would be comparable with the Industrial Revolution, but this time machines would exceed people in intellectual ability rather than physical strength.
And while it could bring benefits in areas like healthcare, he still worries about the threat of the technology “getting out of control”. He told the NYT that winning the Nobel could mean people take his warnings more seriously.
