Geoffrey Hinton, the famous British-Canadian computer scientist known as the godfather of AI, has warned that the overwhelming development of artificial intelligence could increase the risk of human extinction by 10 to 20 percent in the next three decades.
In a recent interview with BBC Radio 4, Hinton said, 'Something is being created that is more intelligent than us. There are very few instances in history where a less intelligent being has been able to control a more intelligent being.'
Geoffrey Hinton received the 2024 Nobel Prize in Physics for his invention of artificial neural networks, the fundamental basis of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning. According to him, the current progress of AI is faster than we expect. He said, 'Experts think that in the next 20 years AI technology will be created that is smarter than humans. But it's a very scary thought.'
Hinton says, 'It's never easy to control anything more intelligent than humans. We have no such experience. But the current state of things seems like we are three-year-olds and AI is much smarter than us.'
Hinton insists, 'AI cannot be called safe just by looking at the profits of big companies. Government control is needed in this case.'
When he left Google in 2023, Hinton said, 'Unlimited development of AI could be dangerous for mankind.' According to him, humans can misuse AI for bad purposes.
Apart from Hinton, other AI experts believe that artificial intelligence (AI) may go beyond human control. It can become a threat to the existence of mankind.
However, not everyone has the same view on AI. Ian LeCun, Hinton's colleague and Meta's chief AI scientist, thinks AI can be positive for humanity. Can even save mankind from extinction.'
Hinton's warning forces us to rethink our future. As AI advances, our responsibility is to ensure its safe and humane use. Government regulation and policies can play an important role in this regard.
