Geoffrey Hinton, AI pioneer, quits Google over ethical risks of AI

8. 05. 2023 | Kristýna Bezděková

Geoffrey Hinton, an artificial intelligence (AI) pioneer and longtime head of Google’s AI research division, has resigned from his position, citing growing concerns about the ethical implications of the technology he helped create.

Hinton, who is widely regarded as a genius for his pioneering work on deep learning and neural networks, said he decided to leave Google after more than a decade to speak more openly about the potential risks and harms of AI. He made the move at a time when AI is being overhyped by competitors around the world.

“I console myself with the classic excuse: if I hadn’t done it, someone else would have,” Hinton said in an exclusive interview with the Times. “It’s hard to see how you stop bad actors from using it to do bad things.”

The news of Hinton’s departure comes just over a month after more than 1,000 AI researchers signed an open letter calling for a six-month pause in training AI systems more powerful than GPT-4 (the latest model released by OpenAI in March). The letter states that “AI systems with intelligence comparable to humans can pose profound risks to society and humanity, as extensive research has shown and top AI labs have confirmed.” Hinton’s departure is the latest and most significant manifestation of a growing rift between some of the world’s leading AI researchers and the technology companies that employ them. Many of these researchers are sounding the alarm over the social, environmental and political impacts of AI, as well as the lack of transparency, accountability and diversity in the field.

Other prominent voices in the field of AI ethics are also speaking out against the practices and priorities of the industry. Kate Crawford, Senior Principal Researcher at Microsoft Research and Distinguished Professor at New York University, has written extensively on the risks of AI. She recently published a book, Atlas of AI: Power, Politics, and the Planetary Costs of Artificial Intelligence: Power, Politics, and the Planetary Costs of Artificial Intelligence, which exposes the hidden human and environmental impacts of AI production and consumption.

Stuart Russell, professor of computer science at the University of California, Berkeley, and co-author of Artificial Intelligence: A Modern Approach, the standard textbook on artificial intelligence, warns of the existential threat of superintelligent AI that could surpass human capabilities and goals.

 

Source, photo: venturebeat.com, google.com

Author of this article

Kristýna Bezděková

Kristýna is a student of marketing and communication in an undergraduate program. She writes and translates content into the Czech language

WAS THIS ARTICLE HELPFUL?

Support us to keep up the good work and to provide you even better content. Your donations will be used to help students get access to quality content for free and pay our contributors’ salaries, who work hard to create this website content! Thank you for all your support!

Write a comment

    German elections as a signal of change? Trump celebrates conservative victory

    24. 02. 2025 | Natalie Bezděková

    US President Donald Trump has described the results of Sunday’s parliamentary elections in Germany as an important moment for the country and for world politics.

    On his social network Truth Social, he highlighted the victory of the conservative CDU/CSU union and the strong position of the Alternative for Germany (AfD), which he said reflected the dissatisfaction of German voters with current policies, which he described as lacking common sense.

    “The conservative party in Germany seems to have achieved a big victory in this crucial and long-awaited election. As in the United States, the people of Germany are fed up with policies that do them no good, especially on the energy and migration issues that have burdened the country for years,” Trump wrote.

    He further stressed that he believes that this day is not only a historic moment for Germany, but also a positive signal for the United States. In his post, he expressed his belief that this is only the beginning of a series of further electoral successes for conservative forces in the Western world. “This is a great day for Germany and for the US. Congratulations to all – more big victories are coming soon!!!” he added.

    His comments, however, provoked mixed reactions. Some political analysts point to the fact that the CDU/CSU was part of the coalition government with the Social Democrats (SPD) led by Angela Merkel in the past, which opened the door to mass migration to Germany in 2015. It was also under her leadership that the decision to phase out nuclear power was taken, which is now one of the controversial points in German politics. The move was approved during Merkel’s second government, when the CDU/CSU ruled in coalition with the FDP liberals.

    The election results suggest that the German political scene is undergoing a fundamental change. According to preliminary estimates, the CDU/CSU won 28.6% of the vote, which secured it first place. The AfD came second with 20.4%, a significant success for the party and confirmation of its growing support among the electorate. The incumbent ruling Social Democrats (SPD) came third with 16.3% of the vote, indicating a weakening of its position after years in government.

    Developments in Germany will continue to be closely watched not only in Europe but also in the United States, where the presidential elections are approaching. Trump’s reaction to the German election suggests that he sees the results as part of a broader trend of strengthening conservative and nationalist movements in the Western world. Only time will tell whether these changes will actually translate into US politics.

    Photo source: www.pexels.com

    Author of this article

    Natalie Bezděková

    I am a student of Master's degree in Political Science. I am interested in marketing, especially copywriting and social media. I also focus on political and social events at home and abroad and technological innovations. My free time is filled with sports, reading and a passion for travel.

    WAS THIS ARTICLE HELPFUL?

    Support us to keep up the good work and to provide you even better content. Your donations will be used to help students get access to quality content for free and pay our contributors’ salaries, who work hard to create this website content! Thank you for all your support!

    Write a comment