Geoffrey Hinton known as ‘’Godfather of AI’ quit Google and warns about Technology’sfuture.Hinton is worried that future versions of the technology pose a real threat to humanity. He is concerned about the flood of fake information, photos online and videos created by Artificial intelligence that are quite realistic.
Reflecting on his contribution to the field, he now regrets certain aspects of it. A decade ago, Google had brought him on board to aid in the development of their AI technology.Hinton’s groundbreaking research has greatly influenced present-day AI systems like ChatGPT.
One significant breakthrough he achieved was the creation of a decoder that could reconstruct speech using fMRI scan data. This advancement has made non-invasive mind-reading possible, as AI can now convert thoughts into text.
Speaking to the New York Times, Hinton revealed that he used to consider Google a responsible steward of the technology until last year. However, his opinion changed when Microsoft introduced a chatbot into its Bing search engine. This development raised concerns about the potential risks to Google’s search business.
In an interview with the BBC, Hinton expressed his unease about certain dangers posed by AI chatbots. He described some of these dangers as “quite scary” and warned that they could surpass human intelligence, making them vulnerable to exploitation by malicious actors. Hinton emphasized that the intelligence being developed through AI is fundamentally different from human intelligence.
Hinton’s immediate concern revolves around the difficulty people will face in distinguishing truth from falsehood due to the inundation of AI-generated photos, videos, and text on the internet. Notably, recent advancements in image generators, such as Midjourney, now enable the production of photo-realistic images. In March, a viral image featuring Pope Francis wearing a Balenciaga puffer coat demonstrated the capabilities of these technologies.
Furthermore, Hinton expressed apprehension about the potential future replacement of jobs by AI, including positions like paralegals, personal assistants, and various tedious tasks. He believes that even more jobs could be at risk in the future.
Google’s chief scientist, Jeff Dean, expressed his gratitude for Hinton’s contributions to the company over the past decade. Dean conveyed his appreciation for the insightful conversations they shared and extended his well wishes to Hinton. Dean emphasized that Google is committed to a responsible approach to AI, as evidenced by their early publication of AI Principles. The company continues to balance innovation with a keen understanding of emerging risks.
