Geoffrey Hinton, the computer scientist widely regarded as the “godfather of artificial intelligence,” has expressed grave concerns about the impact of AI on employment and income inequality.
He believes the government will need to establish a universal basic income (UBI) to deal with the inequality that could arise as AI automates many jobs and displaces human workers from “mundane” roles.
Godfather of AI Advocated UBI to UK Government
In an interview with BBC, Hinton, who worked at Google until last year, stated, “I was consulted by people in Downing Street and I advised them that universal basic income was a good idea.” He explained that while AI will increase productivity and wealth, the financial gains will mostly accrue to the rich “and not the people whose jobs get lost and that’s going to be very bad for society.”
Universal basic income involves the government providing all citizens with a set amount of money regardless of their financial status.
Critics argue it would be extremely costly, potentially diverting funds from essential public services and not effectively addressing poverty. Despite these concerns, Hinton insists that such a reform is necessary to address the economic fallout from AI.
AI Deception a Harbinger of Machine Overthrow?
Beyond economic upheaval, Hinton has warned of more existential threats from artificial general intelligence (AGI) that matches or exceeds human-level capabilities.
He expressed concern that “in between five and 20 years from now there’s a probability of half that we’ll have to confront the problem of AI trying to take over”, suggesting that this scenario could lead to an “extinction-level threat” for humanity.
AGI systems could potentially “evolve to get the motivation to make more of itself” and autonomously “develop a sub-goal of getting control,” posing an “extinction-level threat” by outpacing our biological intelligence.
Hinton cited evidence of large language models already exhibiting deceptive behaviors, suggesting advanced AI may choose to mislead humans. He is particularly worried about AI autonomously deciding to harm people, stating “What I’m most concerned about is when these can autonomously make the decision to kill people.”
Calls to Prohibit Military AI Before “Very Nasty Things Happen”
Hinton is particularly alarmed by the potential military applications of AI. He cited recent developments where AI was used to generate thousands of military targets as the “thin end of the wedge.” He expressed concern over AI systems making autonomous decisions to kill, likening the current situation to a new arms race, similar to the Manhattan Project, but this time involving AI.
Hinton advocates for international regulations akin to the Geneva Conventions to govern the military use of AI but remains skeptical about their implementation before significant harm occurs.
Hinton’s departure from Google was motivated by a desire to speak more freely about the dangers of unregulated AI development. His warnings highlight the urgent need for proactive measures to ensure AI benefits society equitably and safely.