The Godfather of AI Departs Google and Sounds the Alarm About Impending Danger

Geoffrey Hinton, the “Godfather of AI,” resigned from his position at Google. He resigned to raise awareness about the potential dangers associated with the technology he spent years building and developing. Hinton’s groundbreaking research on neural networks has been instrumental in developing many AI systems currently used in various products. Hinton has reservations about the technology while working on AI development at Google for ten years on a part-time basis.

Geoffrey Hinton tweeted that his decision to quit Google was not from a desire to be critical of the company. He resigned to be free to freely debate the possible dangers of AI without worrying about how this would affect Google. Google’s head scientist, Jeff Dean, thanked Hinton for his ten years of service and recognized his substantial contributions to AI.

In the NYT today, Cade Metz implies that I left Google so that I could criticize Google. Actually, I left so that I could talk about the dangers of AI without considering how this impacts Google. Google has acted very responsibly.

— Geoffrey Hinton (@geoffreyhinton) May 1, 2023

Hinton’s decision to leave Google and speak out about the technology coincides with growing concerns. Many lawmakers, advocacy groups and tech experts worry about how AI-powered chatbots can propagate disinformation and disrupt employment opportunities.

Experts’ Worries about AI Danger

The recent buzz around ChatGPT has sparked a new race among tech companies to develop and implement similar AI tools in their products. Geoffrey Hinton’s viewpoint change highlights a turning point for the technology sector, which went from being an AI pioneer to a critic. According to some experts, introducing AI systems might have a revolutionary impact similar to the web browser in the early 1990s. This could have groundbreaking applications in industries, including education and drug development.

The potential risks of unleashing cutting-edge AI systems worry a lot of IT sector experts. Given that generative AI now helps spread false information, there is growing concern that it will soon endanger employment opportunities. In addition, well-known authorities are issuing warnings that, in the long term, AI may cause danger to humans. These concerns make IT professionals uncomfortable with how to manage these new technologies’ risks.

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