15 Mar 2024

'Godfather of AI' Geoffrey Hinton fears tech is too powerful

From Nine To Noon, 9:05 am on 15 March 2024
Dr. Geoffrey E. Hinton, Professor Emeritus, the University of Toronto and Chief Scientific Adviser, Vector Institute, speaks during  an exclusive interview by the Yomiuri Shimbun at a Tokyo hotel in Chiyoda Ward, Tokyo on Nov. 18, 2019. Dr. Hinton, known as " Godfather of Ai" has been awarded Japanese Honda Foundation,  for his pioneering research in the field of deep learning in artificial intelligence and his contribution to practical application of the technology. ( The Yomiuri Shimbun ) (Photo by Masahiro Sugimoto / Yomiuri / The Yomiuri Shimbun via AFP)

Photo: Masahiro Sugimoto / The Yomiuri Shimbun via AFP

The man widely regarded as the godfather of artificial intelligence is worried the technology is becoming too powerful for humanity's own good.

Renowned computer scientist Geoffrey Hinton quit his role at Google last year.

When he resigned, he said he was able to speak freely about what the dangers of be, and that some were "quite scary".

In particular, around how AI could spread misinformation, upend the job market, and ultimately, pose an existential risk to humanity.

Dr Hinton was an early pioneer of the neural network - a method which teaches computers to process data in a way that is inspired by the human brain.

It's that network which morphed into AI, which is advancing so quickly that this week European Union lawmakers approved new regulations around it.

Meanwhile, the Government here has indicated it will draw up a framework.

Dr Geoffrey Hinton speaks with Kathryn Ryan.