Geoffrey Hinton, 76, is the co-winner of the Nobel Prize in physics along with Princeton University physicist John Hopfield|Collision Conf|CC BY 2.0
Geoffrey Hinton, the British-Canadian computer scientist often also called the godfather of AI by many, co-won the Nobel Prize in physics along with American physicist John Hopfield yesterday for their decades-long work on artificial neural networks.
Their work started in the 1980s and was inspired by how the human brain and its network of neurons work.
They created similar networks on computer programs, helping machines learn from large amounts of data. This technology laid the foundation for AI chatbots like ChatGPT and Gemini and other AI tools such as facial recognition and language translation.
However, Hinton, 76, has been vocal about the dangers of AI. He even quit his job at Google to discuss the risks more freely. He has also urged Big Tech to assess the risk of artificial intelligence.
Addressing the Nobel Committee on Tuesday, he voiced that AI could become more intelligent than humans and potentially take control.
Hopfield, 91, also shared the concerns, especially about how AI can manipulate global information systems.
Despite the risks, both scientists believe their work will benefit society. Hinton expressed the positives of artificial intelligence in fields like healthcare, climate science and space exploration.