Geoffrey Hinton, the man widely recognized as the godfather of artificial intelligence (AI), has resigned from Google over concerns about the impact of AI on society. Hinton, who is 75, helped to develop the company’s AI technology.
Speaking to the BBC, he said that he was concerned about the existential risk of creating intelligent machines and that the approach he pioneered had led the way for current systems such as ChatGPT.
According to Hinton, the intelligence we currently possess is very different from the intelligence we are currently building. The following sections detail this news further.
Dangers of AI Chatbots
Hinton expressed concern about the risks posed by AI chatbots. He foresaw that they might surpass human intelligence and come under the control of evildoers.
He said that since it can generate a lot of text automatically, you can get a lot of spam bots that are really powerful. It will enable autocratic leaders to influence their electorates and other such things.
Hinton is not the only AI expert to warn of the possible dangers of the technology. Elon Musk has also expressed concerns that AI could pose a serious threat to humanity.
Last month, Musk said he had fallen out with Google co-founder Larry Page because Page was not taking AI safety seriously enough. Musk told Fox News that Page wanted digital superintelligence, basically a digital god, if you will, as soon as possible.
AI-Generated Misinformation
Hinton’s concerns about AI are not limited to chatbots. He also worries that AI-generated photos, videos, and text could make it impossible for people to discern what is true.
A photo-realistic image can now be created thanks to recent updates to image generators like Midjourney. One such image of Pope Francis in a Balenciaga puffer coat went viral in March. Hinton’s fears are shared by other experts in the field.
Valérie Pisano, the chief executive of the Quebec Artificial Intelligence Institute, said the slapdash approach to safety in AI systems would not be tolerated in any other field.
Job Losses and AI
Hinton is also concerned that AI will lead to job losses. He warned that AI could eventually replace jobs like those of paralegals and personal assistants. Drudge work jobs could also be at risk, as well as potentially more in the future.
Nevertheless, Google’s chief scientist, Jeff Dean, said in a statement that the company remained committed to a responsible approach to AI.
AI Principles and Responsible Approach
Google was among the first businesses to establish AI principles, and the company is still dedicated to using AI responsibly.
Google’s chief scientist, Jeff Dean, commended Hinton for his contributions to the firm over the past ten years and stated that the organization was always learning to recognize new dangers while also making audacious innovations.
But many experts think more work has to be done to guarantee that AI is created in an ethical and responsible manner.
Questioning Online Media
The head of the University of New South Wales AI Institute, Toby Walsh, advised individuals to critically evaluate any internet content they come across today. He advised people to consider the possibility that someone might have falsified any digital data, including audio and video.
To put it another way, people should be aware that not everything they read or see online is factual and that AI-generated content may be exploited to sway public opinion.
Regulation and Oversight
Governments are under more pressure to control the technology as worries about AI’s effects on society grow. Some experts believe that regulation and oversight will be necessary to ensure that AI is developed in a responsible and ethical way.
Others counter that voluntary measures would be more successful and that regulation might inhibit innovation. The debate over how best to regulate AI is likely to continue for some time to come.
Conclusion
Hinton’s resignation highlights growing concern about the impact of AI on society. The risks posed by chatbots and AI-generated misinformation are just two examples of the possible dangers of the technology.
Hinton’s anxieties about job losses are echoed by similar worries about how AI would affect the labor market. Despite these concerns, the technology continues to develop at a rapid pace, and experts are calling for greater efforts to be made to ensure that AI is developed in a responsible way.
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