Scientists Sound AI Alarm After Winning Physics Nobel

AFP/APP

Stockholm: On Tuesday, British-Canadian Geoffrey Hinton and American John Hopfield were awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics for their groundbreaking work on the foundations of artificial intelligence (AI).

Their research, which began in the 1980s on neural networks, has laid the groundwork for today’s advanced deep-learning systems, now integral to various aspects of modern life, including facial recognition and language translation.

Hinton, often referred to as “the Godfather of AI,” expressed his concerns about the technology he helped develop, warning of potential apocalyptic risks. “In the same circumstances, I would do the same again, but I am worried that the overall consequence of this might be systems more intelligent than us that eventually take control,” he stated after the announcement.

In 2023, he made headlines when he left his position at Google to raise awareness about the “profound risks to society and humanity” posed by AI. When asked about the possibility of AI threatening human existence, he noted, “It’s not inconceivable.”

Ellen Moons, chair of the Nobel Committee for Physics, highlighted the dual nature of AI’s rapid development, stating that while the technology holds tremendous potential, it also raises significant concerns about the future. “Humans carry the responsibility for using this new technology in a safe and ethical way,” she emphasized.

John Hopfield, a professor emeritus at Princeton, was recognized for developing the “Hopfield network,” a form of associative memory capable of storing and reconstructing images and patterns from data.

He echoed Hinton’s concerns, describing recent advancements in AI as “very unnerving” and stressing the need for a deeper understanding of modern AI systems to prevent potential mishaps.

“You don’t know whether some spontaneous but unwanted thing is lying hidden in the works,” he warned during a video address.

As society continues to grapple with the implications of AI, both Hinton and Hopfield’s contributions serve as a reminder of the delicate balance between innovation and responsibility.