Geoffrey Hinton, a well-known expert in the field of artificial intelligence (AI) and widely considered one of AI's founding fathers, has encouraged governments to act and protect society from machine supremacy. Delivering his message at the Collision tech conference held in Toronto, Hinton underscored the significance of comprehending how AI could assert control prior to surpassing human intelligence.
Having recently departed from Google to freely address the risks associated with AI, Hinton expressed his apprehension that these concerns should not be disregarded as mere works of science fiction or fear-inducing narratives.
British-Canadian cognitive psychologist and computer scientist Geoffrey Hinton, known as the 'godfather of AI' speaks with Nick Thompson of The Atlantic (off frame) during the Collision Tech Conference at the Enercare Centre in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, on June 28, 2023.
Governments Need To Take Action Before AI Becomes Smarter Than Humans
Hinton, considered to be a godfather of AI, made headlines in May by leaving Google after a decade to openly address the perils of AI. This decision came shortly after the global fascination with the release of ChatGPT, a powerful language model.
Speaking at the Collision tech conference in Toronto, Hinton delivered his message to a packed audience comprising over 30,000 tech workers, startup founders, and investors.
While the conference attendees sought to capitalize on the potential of AI, Science Alert reported that Hinton's focus was on the dangers it poses and the need for preemptive action. He stressed that before AI surpasses human intelligence, developers should invest substantial effort in understanding how it may attempt to seize control.
Hinton highlighted the lack of balance in the current scenario, with 99 individuals working on advancing AI and only one dedicated to addressing the challenge of preventing its domination.
More so, he emphasized the imperative of taking the risks associated with AI seriously and avoiding their dismissal as mere science fiction or fear-mongering. He urged the audience to acknowledge the genuine concerns and proactively prepare for the real risks AI presents.
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Hinton's Warning About AI and Fake News
Hinton noted that the risks associated with AI extend beyond the possibility of a complete takeover. According to WION's report, he expressed concern about the potential exacerbation of existing inequalities by AI technology. Hinton contended that the advantages and increased productivity brought about by AI are likely to disproportionately benefit the wealthy.
He cautioned that the resulting wealth accumulation would primarily serve to further enrich the already affluent individuals, rather than uplift those who perform the labor. Hinton viewed this outcome as highly detrimental to society as a whole, emphasizing the negative consequences of such unequal distribution of resources.
Furthermore, he also highlighted the risks associated with the proliferation of "fake news" generated by bots like ChatGPT. He expressed his desire for AI-generated content to be labeled or marked, similar to how central banks watermark physical currency, to distinguish it from authentic information.
While acknowledging the importance of such labeling, he expressed uncertainty regarding the technical feasibility of implementing such measures. It is essential, according to Hinton, to recognize that AI poses a genuine threat that requires careful consideration and proactive measures to effectively mitigate its potential adverse impacts.
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