Geoffrey Hinton, who is often referred to as “the godfather of artificial intelligence,” has resigned from his job at Google to warn about the potential dangers of the technology, according to reports from US media. Hinton, who created foundational technology for AI systems, has expressed concerns about how advancements in the field pose “profound risks to society and humanity.” He also warned that competition among tech giants is pushing companies to release new AI technologies at dangerous speeds, risking jobs and spreading misinformation.
Hinton specifically expressed concern about the rapid expansion of chatbots like ChatGPT, which could put jobs at risk. While AI has been used to support human workers, Hinton believes that it could potentially “take away more than that.” He also warned about the potential spread of misinformation created by AI, stating that the average person will “not be able to know what is true anymore.”
Hinton’s resignation comes as many experts, including tech billionaire Elon Musk and Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak, are calling for a pause in the development of AI systems to ensure that they are safe. An open letter signed by over 1,000 people, including Musk and Wozniak, was prompted by the release of GPT-4, a much more powerful version of the technology used by ChatGPT. Hinton did not sign the letter, but he told The New York Times that scientists should not “scale this up more until they have understood whether they can control it.”
In a statement to US media, Jeff Dean, lead scientist for Google AI, thanked Hinton for his contributions and affirmed the company’s commitment to a responsible approach to AI. However, Hinton’s departure underscores growing concerns among some experts about the potential risks of AI, particularly as the technology continues to advance at an unprecedented rate.
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