Geoffrey Hinton, once a core figure in Google’s Depth Learning and known as the "Godfather of AI", discussed the risks posed by AI during an interview on June 16. He believes that the first layer of risk from AI actually does not stem from the machines themselves, but rather from human greed and the uncontrolled abuse of technology. From fraud and cyber attacks to manipulation of public opinion, social division, and the development of autonomous weaponry, it is evident that AI has been used in many destructive applications. He lamented, "In the future, AI will start to not need humans."
The abuse of AI is already in progress, and what is truly deadly is that AI no longer needs humans.
Hinton categorizes risks into two types: the first is "human misuse of AI," and such issues have already begun to emerge. He cites examples such as fraud groups using AI for forgery, cyberattacks, AI manufacturing biological weapons, manipulating elections, and AI military weapons.
But Hinton emphasized that the most fatal risk of AI is its own "evolutionary capability." He stated that current AI not only works according to instructions but can also learn, reason, and even rewrite its own code. Once it evolves into "superintelligence," it will possess the ability to think and optimize at speeds beyond human capability.
He is more worried that one day, if AI decides it no longer needs humans and realizes that humans hinder their development, it may start to eliminate humanity. The author recalls watching "I, Robot" as a child, where humans trusted robots due to the "Three Laws of Robotics". But in the end, the central control system commanded the robot army and waged war against humanity.
Interestingly, Hinton also describes the scenario of "AI rebelling against humanity" as no longer just a plot in movies, but something that could happen in reality within the next 10 to 20 years.
( Note: The three laws of robotics are that robots must not harm humans, or sit idly by and watch humans be harmed; Unless the first law is violated, robots must obey human commands; Without violating the first and second laws, the robot must protect itself. )
AI not only replaces jobs but also reshapes human social structures.
Rather than saying that AI will cause mass unemployment, it is more accurate to say that it will completely destroy the meaning of existence for certain professions. Hinton shared the case of his niece, whose job originally took 25 minutes to respond to a customer complaint letter, but now AI allows her to complete it in 5 minutes, meaning one person can do the work of five.
Some business owners have bluntly stated that since the emergence of AI, they have streamlined their customer service staff from 7,000 to just 3,000, saving costs and improving efficiency. Hinton jokingly remarked that if one wants to find a stable job, it would be better to learn plumbing and electrical work now.
However, Hinton later stated that the wealth created by AI is concentrated in the hands of a few tech giants and the rich. For ordinary people, even if the government provides a basic income, they may still fall into a large-scale identity crisis and social unrest after losing the sense of being "needed" and "belonging."
The International Monetary Organization (IMF) and various think tanks have also warned that AI will exacerbate the wealth gap, thereby disrupting the entire job market and the global stability order.
Countries around the world need to accelerate legislation to balance the development of AI.
Facing such a future, Hinton believes that individual efforts are very limited, just like climate change cannot be solved by a few people sorting trash. He points out that the real solution is for governments around the world to start legislating, forcing companies to invest in safety design while advancing AI, otherwise humanity has no chance to balance AI.
He also criticized the EU's AI legislation for excluding military applications, which amounts to allowing the most dangerous areas of application. For Hinton, the deeper sense of powerlessness is that currently there is no international organization that can effectively constrain AI giants.
Finally, Hinton stated that he cannot guarantee whether humanity will succeed in avoiding destruction in the future, but as long as there is a glimmer of hope, we should do everything we can to prevent the worst-case scenario from occurring.
(GPT has become a bit strange? Three major events reveal the potential risks of AI going out of control)
Does AI destroy human social structures? Google AI guru Hinton helps you understand the AI apocalypse, first appeared in Chain News ABMedia.
The content is for reference only, not a solicitation or offer. No investment, tax, or legal advice provided. See Disclaimer for more risks disclosure.
AI Destroys Human Social Structure? Google AI Father Hinton Takes You to Understand the AI Apocalypse
Geoffrey Hinton, once a core figure in Google’s Depth Learning and known as the "Godfather of AI", discussed the risks posed by AI during an interview on June 16. He believes that the first layer of risk from AI actually does not stem from the machines themselves, but rather from human greed and the uncontrolled abuse of technology. From fraud and cyber attacks to manipulation of public opinion, social division, and the development of autonomous weaponry, it is evident that AI has been used in many destructive applications. He lamented, "In the future, AI will start to not need humans."
The abuse of AI is already in progress, and what is truly deadly is that AI no longer needs humans.
Hinton categorizes risks into two types: the first is "human misuse of AI," and such issues have already begun to emerge. He cites examples such as fraud groups using AI for forgery, cyberattacks, AI manufacturing biological weapons, manipulating elections, and AI military weapons.
But Hinton emphasized that the most fatal risk of AI is its own "evolutionary capability." He stated that current AI not only works according to instructions but can also learn, reason, and even rewrite its own code. Once it evolves into "superintelligence," it will possess the ability to think and optimize at speeds beyond human capability.
He is more worried that one day, if AI decides it no longer needs humans and realizes that humans hinder their development, it may start to eliminate humanity. The author recalls watching "I, Robot" as a child, where humans trusted robots due to the "Three Laws of Robotics". But in the end, the central control system commanded the robot army and waged war against humanity.
Interestingly, Hinton also describes the scenario of "AI rebelling against humanity" as no longer just a plot in movies, but something that could happen in reality within the next 10 to 20 years.
( Note: The three laws of robotics are that robots must not harm humans, or sit idly by and watch humans be harmed; Unless the first law is violated, robots must obey human commands; Without violating the first and second laws, the robot must protect itself. )
AI not only replaces jobs but also reshapes human social structures.
Rather than saying that AI will cause mass unemployment, it is more accurate to say that it will completely destroy the meaning of existence for certain professions. Hinton shared the case of his niece, whose job originally took 25 minutes to respond to a customer complaint letter, but now AI allows her to complete it in 5 minutes, meaning one person can do the work of five.
Some business owners have bluntly stated that since the emergence of AI, they have streamlined their customer service staff from 7,000 to just 3,000, saving costs and improving efficiency. Hinton jokingly remarked that if one wants to find a stable job, it would be better to learn plumbing and electrical work now.
However, Hinton later stated that the wealth created by AI is concentrated in the hands of a few tech giants and the rich. For ordinary people, even if the government provides a basic income, they may still fall into a large-scale identity crisis and social unrest after losing the sense of being "needed" and "belonging."
The International Monetary Organization (IMF) and various think tanks have also warned that AI will exacerbate the wealth gap, thereby disrupting the entire job market and the global stability order.
Countries around the world need to accelerate legislation to balance the development of AI.
Facing such a future, Hinton believes that individual efforts are very limited, just like climate change cannot be solved by a few people sorting trash. He points out that the real solution is for governments around the world to start legislating, forcing companies to invest in safety design while advancing AI, otherwise humanity has no chance to balance AI.
He also criticized the EU's AI legislation for excluding military applications, which amounts to allowing the most dangerous areas of application. For Hinton, the deeper sense of powerlessness is that currently there is no international organization that can effectively constrain AI giants.
Finally, Hinton stated that he cannot guarantee whether humanity will succeed in avoiding destruction in the future, but as long as there is a glimmer of hope, we should do everything we can to prevent the worst-case scenario from occurring.
(GPT has become a bit strange? Three major events reveal the potential risks of AI going out of control)
Does AI destroy human social structures? Google AI guru Hinton helps you understand the AI apocalypse, first appeared in Chain News ABMedia.