Kenneth Glad
Tech companies constantly promise us a faster and easier future. Much of the time, that is exactly what we get. But right now, the people who actually design these systems are starting to sound genuinely terrified.
The man who laid the groundwork for modern artificial intelligence is sounding the alarm. Geoffrey Hinton spent decades building these systems. Now he wonders if humanity made a mistake.
The Nobel Prize winner has shared his deep fears with The Guardian. He believes the world could face a major technology-driven disaster within the next two years.
The 78-year-old scientist expects a severe shock. He predicts a digital Chernobyl event, like a massive power failure or a week-long shutdown of the financial system.
“Either later this year or next year we’ll see Chornobyl, and that may be enough to make people really pay attention,” he told the newspaper.
Chasing the money
Hinton is deeply worried about the executives driving this rapid development and points a direct finger at the most famous names in the tech industry.
He singled out Mark Zuckerberg, Elon Musk, and OpenAI chief Sam Altman, and accused them of prioritizing profits over public safety.
“I think [Mark] Zuckerberg and [Elon] Musk and Sam Altman, they understand the risks, and they don’t give a sh*t. They’d rather have the money. That’s my belief,” Hinton stated.
Altman previously defended his company in September. He claimed the public should trust them to handle the massive responsibility.
Time for rules
To prevent a catastrophe, Hinton wants strict government oversight. He argued that tech firms should face rigorous testing, much like pharmaceutical companies do.
Politicians remain split on how to act. US President Donald Trump prefers self-regulation, while UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham is pushing for global safety standards, The Guardian reports.
Despite the dire predictions, the expert refuses total doom. He still believes society has a small window to secure a bright future.
“My gut is that we’re still in control,” he noted. “We might well be able to do something. It’ll only work if we put a big effort into it, but we might well put a big effort into it.”
