Geoffrey Hinton is a name familiar to most people in the AI community. As a leading figure in the deep learning community, Hinton has made significant contributions to artificial intelligence, particularly in developing artificial neural networks. However, Hinton recently made headlines for a different reason: he publicly announced his departure from Google in May 2023, citing concerns about the risks of artificial intelligence technology. Hinton has commended Google for acting “very responsibly” while developing their AI, but he remains concerned about the potential dangers that AI poses to humanity.

Hinton’s Concerns About AI

Hinton has expressed his concerns about AI in a variety of ways. He worries about malicious actors’ deliberate misuse of AI, stating that it is hard to prevent bad actors from using AI for bad things. Hinton has also voiced concerns about the economic impacts of AI, particularly in terms of how it will impact the job market. He previously believed that AI would replace routine tasks, but now he is worried that AI technologies will upend the job market and take away more than just “drudge work.”

Hinton is particularly worried about the existential risks of artificial general intelligence (AGI). He believes that AGI can potentially wipe out humanity if not carefully controlled. Hinton is concerned that AI systems capable of making decisions will be helpful for military or economic purposes. Still, he worries these systems might “create sub-goals” unaligned with their programmers’ interests. He believes we must think hard about controlling AI systems capable of self-improvement.

Hinton’s concerns about the rapid progress of AI have grown more urgent in recent years. In a March 2023 interview with CBS, he stated that “general-purpose AI” may be fewer than 20 years away and could bring about changes “comparable in scale with the Industrial Revolution or electricity.” Hinton believes that we need to start thinking about the risks posed by AI technology now before it is too late.

Implications of Hinton’s Concerns

Hinton’s concerns about AI are understandable. AI technology can potentially revolutionize the world in many positive ways, but it also can be hazardous if not carefully controlled. Hinton’s decision to leave Google and speak out about the risks of AI is a brave one, and it is a testament to his commitment to ensuring that the development of AI technology is done responsibly and ethically.