Two trailblazing scientists, Geoffrey Hinton and John Hopfield, have bagged the Nobel Prize in Physics for their groundbreaking work on machine learning. British Canadian Hinton, often dubbed the “Godfather of AI,” expressed his shock at the win. Having left Google in 2023, he has also voiced concerns about AI surpassing human intelligence. The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences announced the prize in Stockholm.
American Professor John Hopfield, 91, teaches at Princeton University, while 76-year-old Professor Geoffrey Hinton is based at the University of Toronto.
Machine learning, a cornerstone of artificial intelligence, enables computers to train themselves to generate information. This technology powers various aspects of our daily lives, from internet searches to photo editing on our phones.
Upon hearing the news, Professor Hinton expressed his surprise, saying, “I had no idea this would happen. I’m very surprised.” He mentioned that he was in a hotel with poor internet in California, considering canceling his day’s plans.
The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences highlighted some key applications of their work, such as enhancing climate modeling, developing solar cells, and analyzing medical images.
Professor Hinton’s pioneering work on neural networks laid the foundation for modern AI systems like ChatGPT. These neural networks mimic human brains in their ability to learn and process information, known as deep learning.
Professor Hinton has called his research revolutionary, likening its impact to the Industrial Revolution, but for intellectual capabilities. He did express concerns about the future, suggesting that more intelligent systems might eventually take control. Despite this, he would pursue the same work again, albeit with some worries about its implications.
On the other hand, Professor John Hopfield created a network capable of saving and recreating patterns using physics related to atomic spin. His network can find the most similar complete patterns from incomplete ones, similar to how the brain recalls words.
The Nobel Prize committee acknowledged the everyday applications of their work, such as facial recognition and language translation, while also raising concerns about its rapid development. The winners will share a prize of 11 million Swedish kronor (£810,000).
When Professor Hinton left Google last year, he expressed concerns to the BBC about the potentially “quite scary” dangers of AI chatbots. His age also influenced his decision to step down.
Earlier this year, in a BBC Newsnight interview, he mentioned that the UK government would need to implement a universal basic income to address the impact of AI on inequality, as he was “very worried about AI taking lots of mundane jobs.” He noted that while AI could boost productivity and wealth, the benefits would likely favor the wealthy, leaving those who lose their jobs at a disadvantage, which he believes could negatively affect society.
In the same interview, he pointed out that governments have been reluctant to control the military use of AI, and the race to develop new products quickly poses a risk that tech companies might not prioritize safety.
Professor Hinton predicted that in the next five to twenty years, there’s a 50% chance we might have to deal with AI trying to take control.
