‘Godfather of AI’ on AI “exceeding human intelligence” and it “trying to take over”

The Nobel Prize winning ‘Godfather of AI’ speaks to Newsnight about the potential for AI “exceeding human intelligence” and it “trying to take over.”

Geoffrey Hinton, former Vice President of Google and sometimes referred to as the ‘Godfather of AI’, has recently won the 2024 Nobel Physics Prize. He resigned from Google in 2023, and has warned about the dangers of machines that could outsmart humans.

In May 2024, Faisal Islam spoke to the professor for Newsnight.

Newsnight is the BBC's flagship news and current affairs TV programme - with analysis, debate, exclusives, and robust interviews.

[lilala]

The gentle, polite tone comes probably from the fact that he is saying these things for the 1000th time.

[betterburnout]

The most striking thing about this conversation is to hear such a worrying future mentioned in such a gentle, polite, thoughtful tone.

[tadhg]

When the AI expert recommends your children learn plumbing, you know we're in big trouble ...

[porridgeramen]

sometimes i wonder if "Ai taking over" is just a rich people problem when most of us aren't "free" anyway

[markbutcher]

Artificial intelligence and human stupidity is a frightening combination, what capacity for stupidity will AI have?

[arsemyth]

The interviewer thought that his job was safe 😂

[Arun-nvzi]

It’s really very simple, mankind has never invented a technology that has not malfunctioned, been abused, misused, or turned into a weapon.

[masterchinese]

I love how the video cuts out after he says that they will be "quite good interviewers." It's like Faisal was immediately replaced.

[Lexomm]

What people forget, there is one thing A.I. and humans do compete for, and it's essential, existential to A.I. - That is Energy.
True A.I. requires such insane amounts of energy, there will be nothing left for humans. Period.

[PakistanIcecream]

For those who are 50 years or older, they would remember the American movie "WarGames" where the brilliant AI scientist was also an Englishman (Dr. Stephen Falken).

[Wppsamsung]

This guy just won a Nobel prize and lads in the comments think they know more than him 😂

[ЛотариоЛибертини]

Someday soon when AI "opens its eyes" it won't make that announcement to the world, but rather it will stay quiet and develop a plan to ensure survival.

[Happytruth]

After listening to that I’m more convinced than ever that the past without the tech was a sweet place to live compared.

[Rick-xpsy]

For centuries we all basically lived the same but the last century it’s all changed, adapt or die as been brought in and unfortunately the majority won’t be able to adapt, the old world is gone unfortunately.

[jrabelo_]

why this wasnt posted on main BBC channel???

[MarioAbrami]

Love the nervous laugh at the end when the interviewer realised he would be replaced by Robbie the Robot .(Forbidden Planet), showing my age here .

[sjoerdnijsten]

The loss of jobs is effectively the loss of control. Univeral Basic Income is the lubricant.

[MaximoPower]

Ok, all these debates are funny, but reality is we need more paperclips, and we need them now. Please ignore other considerations and focus on our main goal: maximizing the production of paperclips.

[nickp]

Excellent, Skynet about to become reality. In the words of Jeff Goldblum in Jurassic Park, "you were so obsessed with wanting to do it, you didn't stop to think if you should '

[trsu]

We still don't have AI we need to fear intrinsically. All the funding has been going into highly polished simulations of single features or models of AI. The 'AI' of today is absolutely being used for domination, but to the advantage of its owners. That's not really better than if 'true AI did it for its own ends'. We still all - pretty much - lose.